Luna's Story
by lulu8706
Summary: This is the story of Yuna's sister, Luna, who is 2 years younger than she is. Separated at a young age, Luna goes to live with her nanny and becomes a summoner. This is her story.
1. Chapter 1

"Luna!" Nanny Betty called from downstairs.

"Coming, Nanny Betty!" Five-year-old Luna called back as she went to her bedroom door. I wonder what she wants, it's not lunchtime yet, Luna thought as she reached the stairs. As she entered the living room, she saw her seven-year-old sister, Yuna, sitting on the couch that was sitting against the oppisite the door she had just entered.

She and Yuna looked so much alike that people that didn't know them personally could swear that they were twins. They both had the same brown, shoulder-length hair, the same soft-looking faces. Yuna was about an inch and a half taller than Luna. Sometimes they would wear the same outfits just to trick people. If someone looked close enough, there was one way to tell that they were different. Yuna's eyes were green on the left side, blue on the right, while Luna's was blue on the left side, green on the right.  
Luna looked to her right, and there stood a huge Ronso. On his left stood Betty. They both looked a little sad to Luna. She looked up at her nanny of the last year and a half and said,

"What's wrong, Nanny Betty?" Betty was a pretty woman, originally from Kilika. The thing that Luna liked the best about her nanny Betty was her clothes. They were so different from her own. Luna looked at her nanny, who had tears in her eyes. Betty walked over and knelt beside the young girl.

"Luna, I'm going home, and you're coming with me."

"What about Yuna? Is she staying here? Who will take care of her?"

"No, Yuna's not going. But she's not staying here, either. She's going to go with this nice Ronso. His name is Kimahri."

"Won't daddy be sad that we're not here to see him when he gets home?" Luna asked. At this point, Yuna broke out in tears. Luna turned to her sister as Yuna said through her tears,

"Daddy's dead, Luna. He's never coming back. Ever." Luna couldn't believe her ears. Daddy's not coming back, she though to herself.

"NO! That's not true! He promised me that he would come back! He promised, he promised, he promised!" Luna screamed, falling to floor, crying. "Is this my punishment for being a bad girl?" Luna asked, remembering getting a spanking for calling Yuna a name that she heard a big kid use in school the week before.

"No, honey. This is just the way that things are. How about we help Yuna pack so Mr. Kimahri can take her to her new home? Then we can pack our things so we can go live at my house on Kilika?" Betty asked, the tears in her eyes finally spilling over.

"But I want to go with Yuna! Why can't she come with us!"

"Luna, Kimahri said that this is the way that daddy wants it. Let's show daddy how brave we are, ok? We'll see each other again one day, I promise." Yuna said, trying to calm her sister down. After a little while, Luna tears stopped.

"Ok. Let's be brave. For daddy. Let's go upstairs and pack your things." Luna said, heading for the stairs. When they arrived, Luna entered the room, Yuna right behind her.

Luna went to the closet and drug out Yuna's suitcase. She drug it to the middle of the floor and opened it. As she was doing this, Yuna went to her toy box. She walked over and looked at Luna.

"Here. I want you to have this." Yuna said Luna looked up and saw that Yuna was holding out her favorite stuffed animal, a large plush of a moogle. Luna took it and hugged it.

"Are you sure? This is your favorite toy. What's going to keep your bad dreams away?"

"I'll find something." Yuna said. Suddenly, Luna had an idea.

"I'll be right back!" She called as she threw open the door. She ran down the hall to her room and and went to her bed. On it sat her plush of a Corel. It was her most favorite toy in the whole world. She grabbed it and ran back to Yuna's room. She walked up to Yuna and set the stuffed animal in her older sister's hands.

"Now you have something."

"But, Luna, you like this corel more than I like my moogle!"

"Now the moogle is my favorite, and Cory is yours. Don't change his name! He likes that name." Luna shot before Yuna could think of another name for him.

"Ok. Let's start packing."


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning." A now thirteen year old Luna said one morning as she sat at the table for breakfast.

"Good morning." Betty replied as she cracked an egg to fry. "So, what are you going to do with your Saturday?"

"Me and the guys are gonna go explore the woods that lead to the temple."

"That's probably not such a good idea." Betty said as she sat down with her and Luna's breakfast.

"And why not?"

"Luna, that's not a place for children."

"I am not a child."

"Fine. It's not a place for people your age. Better?"

"Yes. Tell me more about dad." Luna said. She didn't remember much about her father."Well, I've told you all I know about your father. Do you remember Yuna?"

"How can I forget her? I still have the moogle she gave me the day she left."

"She gave you her stuffed moogle?"

"Yes. It's sitting on the shelf above my desk. I gave her my Corel in return. I miss her. I wonder how she's doing?"

"I'm sure she's doing great." Betty said, hoping that Luna didn't really want to go see her. It wasn't that she didn't want to go, she would have loved to have seen Yuna again, they didn't have to money to make the trip. Just as Luna finished her breakfast, there was a knock on the door.

"There's the guys. Gotta go!"

"You be careful!" Luna heard Betty call as she went out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"What? Are you chicken?" Derick asked when Luna hesitated.

"Me? Scared? I don't think so." Luna said. What am I saying? They want me to go into the cloister of trials! Betty would kill me, but I can't back down. I know that I'm tougher than these guys, but this might be taking it too far. Only a Summoner and her gaurdians can go in there, and there's no way that I'm gonna be a Summoner, Luna thought."Ok, I'm going in." Luna said, looking around to make sure that there were no priests looking or coming her way. She climbed the stairs and then turned to look at Derick. Derick had dark brown hair that was cut short and deep blue eyes. He was a little over five foot tall and very tan due to all the time he spent in the sun.

He was two years older than Luna, but she didn't care. She hoped to take the secret that she had a crush on him to her grave.Matt looked at her and motioned for her to go on. Matt was a good five inches shorter than Derick, which wasn't all that bad, considering that he was the same age and Luna. He had light blonde hair with light blue eyes. Luna would admit that Matt wasn't all that bad looking, but not as good looking as Derick. Luna turned back around and opened the door. She walked in and shut it lightly behind her, so as to not attract attention. She walked to the back of the room and thought,

This is a rook! There's nothing here! Just as she was going to leave, the floor began to move beneath her. That was when she realized that she was standing on a platform. When she stopped, she turned around to see another room that was lit by torches. She saw a door on the other end of the room. She walked off the platform and to the other end of the room.She reached the door and said,

"What am I doing? I'm breaking a sacred ritual. Well, I'm here, might as well keep going." She opened the door and entered the next room. She heard a crackle and looked through the doorway into the room after the room she had just entered. At the back of the room, there was a huge fire raging. It was from one wall to the other.

She saw a glyph sphere on either wall to her left and right. she walked into the next room and looked around. Luna saw a Kilika sphere on the far right wall and figured that it was what was making the fire rage. She walked over and removed it from the wall. The fire partially went out as she waked over to the small pillar that was sittning in the middle of the room. She set the Kilika sphere in the pillar and tried to think.

Luna leaned up against the pillar to think and it moved, which gave him an idea. She pushed the pillar until it stopped, then she went to the left side of it and began to push it again. She pushed it until it was almost up against the wall. By this time, she was next to the hole in which the kilika sphere once sat. Luna moved back behind the pillar and pushed it over the edge. After it fell, the fire went completely out.

Luna looked across and saw another door. She figured that the door was locked. She crossed to the other side of the room and then went down the steps to the space in which the fire had been. She went across the hall-like space and mounted the stairs. She walked up to the door and tried to see if there was a lock on the door, but all she saw was a hole in the right side in the door jam.

She went back down the stairs and to where the pillar had fallen. There in the wall to her left was another Kilika sphere. She took it and went back to the door. She set the sphere in the door and it went up in flames.

Luna jumped at the sight and sound of the fire. As she stood there waiting for her heart to to stop racing, she thought,

Now what do I do? Should I turn back before I get into any more trouble? I don't think that I can get into anymore trouble than this. Now, how do I get this fire to go away? Maybe if I take the sphere back out... To Luna's surprise, it worked. She looked behind her and then climbed the stairs to the next room.


	4. Chapter 4

Luna thought that the next room was very nice looking. It wasn't as big as the other rooms, but it was nice. It was well lit and there was another door at the other end of the room.How many rooms are in this place, Luna thought as she walked up to the door. the door slid up and she looked into the room. She noticed some leaf-like things in the doorway, which parted as she walked in.

Inside, the room was very well lit and there was a large glass case built into the floor. Luna walked up and looked inside. She was surprised about what she had seen in the case. There was a very large monster inside. Luna was so scared that she prayed to Yevon for her safety.Well, she figured that was the wrong thing to do, once she done it. She looked up and saw a man floating above the the case. Luna looked up at him in awe. All she could do was blink.

"Why are you here, child?" The man asked.

"I-I-I-" was all that Luna could stammer. She took a step back, just in case she needed to run.

"There is no reason to fear me. You have chosen to become a Summoner, have you not?"

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I was dared to come here and I never back down from a dare."

"You defy the teachings for a dare?" By this time, the man was mad. Luna was juat about to turn and run when he said,

"I shall be the one to rule your ultimite punishment. You must now become a Summoner. I shall join you. How old are you?"

"Th-thirteen."

"You must not leave for your journey until your fifteenth birthday. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Luna said, bowing her head. She was in deep. Deeper than she could ever imagine.

"Please, call me Ifrit." he said.

"Ok. What happens now?" Luna asked. Her eyes grew large asIfrit flew toward her. She turned to run and he flew into her back. She passed out, which caused her to fall.


	5. Chapter 5

Luna didn't know how much had passed when she came to, but all was quite and there were no signs of Ifrit. She wondered if she had dreamed the whole thing. She shakily got got to her feet and tried to walk. She had to grab onto the wall so that she wouldn't fall.

Maybe I didn't imgaine it, Luna thought. She waited for a while and then tried to walk again. This time she could stay on her feet. It semed like forever, but she eventually got to the entrance. When she stepped out, there was a whole crowd of people at the bottom of the stairs. Betty was in the very front.

"I can't believe you! Do you realize what you've done!" Betty cried.

"Yes, ma'am." Luna said.

"Let's hope so." A priest said.

"I've become a summoner."

"What?" both Betty and the priest cried.

"I was forced to become a summoner. I turned to run and then he flew into my back. I passed out after that." Luna explained after she, Betty, and the priest was in one of the side rooms of the temple.

"I can't believe this!" Betty said. "After I raised you how I did, you defy the teachings."

"Young lady, do you realize that you could have died in there?" the priest asked.

"No." Luna said, her eyes wide.

"Ifrit must have been in a good mood today. He could have killed you without even trying." that made Luna want to faint again.

"So, now you have to go on your pilgrimage?" Betty asked.

"No. He said not to go until my fifteenth birthday."

"Ok. I'm going to have to forbid you from coming into the temple. Is that understood?" the priest asked.

"Yes, sir." Luna said, just wanting to go home. "My I go home now?"

"Oh, we're going home, but I'm not done with you yet." Betty said.


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe you!" Betty cried as they enetered the house.

"But I-"

"Don't give me any excuses. Why did you go in there?"

"Because Derick and Matt dared me to."

"Because they dared you to? Are you insane?"

"No. I'm just not a chicken."

"Luna!"

"What!"

"Being a chicken or not isn't what you need to be worrying about. Now you should be worried about what's going to happen to you."

"I think I would realize what was happening to my own body."

"No, you don't. You aren't allowed to go anywhere but school until i say different."

"But Nanny Betty!" Luna cried. She only used her pet name when she was upset.

"Don't you 'Nanny Betty' me! What am I going to do with you?"

"I don't know! Why don't you send me back home? Maybe you'd be better off that way!" Luna yelled as she stormed to her room, slamming the door behind her.

I can't believe that she's doing this to me! How was I suppose to turn down a dare, Luna thoughtas she heard a knock on her door.

"What?" Luna asked as Betty walked into the room.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I was just a little harsh. I'm worried about you, that's all. I will ground you for the next month, but it's for your own good."

"Yeah. Uh-huh. Sure. All I was doing was having fun. What's wrong with that?"

"Going into the cloister of trials isn't 'fun'. It's one way ticket to trouble if you if you don't have the proper authorization. Like I said before, you are grounded for the next month. I want you home by 3:30 everyday. If you are not home by then, I will come looking for you. Each time I have to come find you, I'm going to add a week to your punishment. And this is no joke. This includes weekends."

"What!"

"I will allow you time out of the house on Saturday and Sunday."

"How long?"

"Two hours a piece."

"You have to be kidding me!"

"No, I'm not. If I have to come after you-"

"I know, I know. You're going to add another week to my time."

"Yes. Why didn't you tell me that you wanted to be a summoner?"

"I already said this once. I didn't. Ifrit made me. He said it was my punishment for going in there."

"Well, that seems fair to me."

"Will you be one of my gaurdians?" Luna asked suddenly.

"Of course. Someone has to keep you in line."

"Yep. And there's no one better than you.

"Why do you want me as a gaurdian?"

"Why not?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Luna, Betty just called. Do you realize it's after seven?" Derick's mom said, poking her head into the room.

"Oh, no! I gotta go, Derick.We'll battle again, and I'll win, again." Luna said, getting up. It had been five hours since she had left the house. She had only one week to go, but not anymore.

"Oh, Luna. I told Betty that you must have lost track of time, with the games and all."

"Thank you so much." Luna said as she left. On the way home, Luna couldn't help but think of Derick. He was so handsome. She also noticed that the reason that she was winning was because he was always looking at her. They had been friends for a long time, but Luna had liked him for most of the time they had known each other. Was he seeing her as she was seeing him?

Maybe he is, Luna thought as she walked into the house. Betty was standing thre, a look to kill on her face.

"What did I tell you?"

"I lost track of time."

"That's what Derick's mom said. She said that you were in his room the full five hours. I'm going to give you the benefit of a doubt. I'm only going to give you two days for forgetting to look at a clock."

"Ok."

The next day at school, things were going as usual. Luna was at her outdoor activity hour, relaxing under a tree when a boy, he looked to be at least 16, came up and said,

"Hey, aren't you the girl that went into the cloister of trails last month?"

"Yes. Why should you care?"

"No need to be snotty about it, little skank." That was the first time anyone had ever called her that. It hurt and tears came to her eyes.

"You can go into the cloister of trials, but you can't take an insult?"

"Leave me alone."

"Why should I?"

"Because I said so." Luna said, sounding as scared as she felt.

"No." the boy said as he kicked her in the side. She doubled over in pain and then he kicked her again. She had never felt so helpless in her life. She done the first thing that came to mind, she prayed to Yevon for help.

She opened her eyes when the boy when the boy stopped kicking her. She looked around herself and saw a mark on the ground that went all the way around her, spreading out for about twenty feet. the ground began to rumble beneath her and then she was thrown into the air. She couldn't help but to cry out. When she started to come back down, she looked down to see a creature on the ground, where she had been sitting. She fell onto it's shoulder and it reached up to steady her. It set her down gently and looked at her, seeming to ask,

"What's wrong?" Luna looked at the boy, who stood there, dumbfounded. She looked back at Ifrit and then pointed at the boy. His eyes grew wide and he took a step back.

"Please, don't hurt me. I was just playing around. I didn't mean it."

"You better be sorry. It's a lot different when you're the smaller one, isn't it?" Luna said, finding new courage. "I advise that you don't make my new friend here mad. If you know what's good for you, you'll go away."

"You don't have to tell me twice." The boy cried as he ran.

"Thank you, Ifrit. I don't understand. How did you know I needed help?"

"You summoned me."

"How?"

"When you prayed to Yevon for help." Luna heard Ifrit say, even though he never moved his mouth.

"Is that what you're for?" Luna said, realizing that he could talk to her telepathiclly.

"Yes. I must go now." Ifrit said as he jumped and disappeared.

"Young lady, what did you do to poor Micheal? He ran to me saying something about a fiend." A teacher said, walking up. Don't tell her about me, Luna heard Ifrit say.

"What fiend? I didn't see one." Luna said. It wasn't a lie. Ifrit wasn't a fiend, he was an Aeon.

"Don't you lie to me."

"But I didn't!"

"To the office. Now!" The teacher barked when Luna didn't comply.

"But-"

"To the office!"

Luna was sitting in a chair in the office when Betty came in.

"What's this about you bringing a fend to school?"

"It wasn't a fiend!" Luna cried, defending not only herself, but Ifrit, too.

"Then, what, pray tell, was it, Luna?"

You can tell him, Luna heard Ifrit said.

"Ifrit"

"You summoned him in school?"

"I didn't mean to! A boy was kicking me and then I prayed and then I was in the air, and he caught me and the boy was frightened and then ran off, and then a teacher was yelling at me and now I'm here." Luna explained all in one breath.

"Well, since It's almost the end of the school day, I guess I'll take you home."


	8. Chapter 8

"Luna! Happy birthday!" Betty cried as Luna sat down to breakfast. "Fourteen. What do you want to do?"

"I want to go on my pilgrimage. I've wanted to ever since that first time I summoned Ifrit."

"But you know you can't."

"I know."

"What else do you want to do?"

"Go out and have fun, like I always do every Saturday."

"With no breakfast?" Betty teased.

"All depends. What are we having?"

"Pancakes and sausage."

"In that case, I'm eating." Luna said. Pancakes and sausage were Luna's most favorite breakfast foods. She finished her meal and and then went to Dericks house.

"Hi. Would Derick be home?" Luna asked his mother when she answered the door.

"Hi. Happy birthday. Yes, he is. He's in his room."

"Thanks." Luna said as she went toward Derick's room. She walked into his room to see him changing his shirt. "Oops. I'm sorry." Luna said, blushing and turning to leave the room.

"It's ok. Come on in. It's just my chest. It it was your chest, that would be a whole different story." Derick said with a laugh. Luna smiled, but not at Derick's joke. She couldn't keep her eyes off his exposed skin. Derick had a four pack that looked like, with a little more work, it would soon become a six pack.

Derick pulled on a shirt and her attention went back to his face. He smiled, showing the dimple on the left side of his mouth. Luna smiled back.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Luna asked.

"Wel, I thought we could do whatever you wanted to do, since it's your birthday."

"Ok. Well, we could always go explore more of the woods. We kinda got off track last time."

"Speaking of that incident, are you ungrounded yet?"

"Yes."

"Cool. Let's go get Matt."

"Do we have to?" Luna asked, hopeful.

"Not if you don't want to." Derick replied. Of course not, Luna thought to herself, I'd never give up the chance to spen a day with you.

"Good. I thought it could be just us."

"Why?"

"Cause you're my best friend."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go."

In the woods, Luna and Derick were walking around, talking.

"I heard about what happened at school. Actually, I had seen it. Was that what had went into you when you were in the temple?"

"Yes. You saw that? Wasn't that amazing?"

"Yeah. So that's what an Aeon looks like. Which one was it?"

"That's Ifrit. He's pretty cool."

"He looks cool."

"You know, I have to leave for my pilgrimage one year from today." Luna said, gathering her courage.

"You have to go on a pilgrimage? How come?"

"Ifrit said it was my punishment for going in the cloister of trials without the intent of becoming a summoner."

"Well, that really stinks. Now who's going to be my partner in crime?" Derick teased.

"Well, I've been thinking about that," Luna started, "and I was wondering if you would want to be one of my gaurdians."

"What? You want me to be your guardian?"

"Yes. Betty is going to my other guardian. "

"Cool. I get to be a guardian."

"Hey, rememeber the High Summoner we we studied about, Braska?"

"Yeah."

"He was my father."

"What! Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"I had no idea. That's awesome!"

"I still miss him. It's been ten years since he died."

"Was he nice?"

"Very, what I can remember of him. I wish I could see him again. I still remember the day I left Bevelle."

"Yeah. I remember you telling me about that when we first met."

"Yeah."

"Hey, let's go explore that canopy up there." Derick said, pointing above them.

"Ok. Let's go." Luna said, climbing a tree, Derick right behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

When they reached the top, Luna noticed a picnic basket setting on top of a blanket.

"You planned this!" Luna cried joyfully.

"Of course. Shall we sit?" Derick asked, extending his arm. Luna laughed and sat down. Is this a dream come true, or will I wake up soon? Luna thought to herself as Derick sat down."So? Do you like your surprise?" Derick said as they ate.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"" Luna asked around a piece of turkey sandwich.

"Good. I have one more surprise for you." Derick said, standing. What could it be, Luna thought as she watched him walk over to a clump of branches to her right. He bent over to rustle through the leaves, and Luna thought that she had a pretty good view. She looked away quickly because she felt guilty. She couldn't help but to sneak andother peak before Derick turned back around.

"Happy birthday." Derick said, handing her a plush of a Corel. "I thought the moogle looked a little lonely sitting up there all by himself."

"That moogle use to belong to my sister."

"Oh. Did she die?"

"No. She went to live in another place when I came here to live. She gave it to me so I'd remember her. I had a corel, just like this one, and I gave it to her in return." Luna said, looking softly at the stuffed animal in her lap, remembering the day her and Yuna parted.

"Oh. What's her name?"

"Yuna."

"Are you twins?"

"No. She's two years older than me."

"Oh. What does she look like?"

"A lot like me. The only difference are our eyes." Luna said. Derick looked into her eyes and she felt as if he could see everything that she thought.

"You're eyes are two different colors!" Derick cried. "I never noticed-" It sounded as if more should have been added to the end of the last sentence.  
"Yes. Yuna's are the same colors, but they are on the oppisite sides."

"That's amazing. Do you think that we might see Yuna when we go on your pilgrimage?"

"I hope so."

Luna and Derick sat and talked for hours about everything that they could think of. Finally, during a lull in the converstation, Derick looked up.

"It's getting dark. We really should get home."

"Yeah, I guess so." Luna said, regreting having to leave.

"Down we go, my lady." Derick said, letting her go down first.

Luna walked into the house, a huge smile on her face.

"What's that look for?" Betty asked as she walked into the living room.

"Oh. Were's you get that Corel?"

"Derick." Luna said, smiling softly.

"No way! You like Derick!" Betty said in amazment.Betty was like Luna's sister, and there weren't that many secretes bewteen them. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want him to find out."

"Have I ever told any of the things that you've made me promise not to tell?"

"No."

"See? How long have you liked him?"

"I'd have to estimate since I was seven."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes. I've asked him to become one of my gaurdians."

"No!" Betty asked, her eyes growing wide with amazment. All of a sudden, Luna smelled something. "Oh, no! The chicken!" Bety cried as she ran out of the room to save dinner. Luna went down the hall and went into the second door on the right, her room.

I wonder if he's guessed that I like him yet, Luna thought as she sat the Corel by the Moogle on her shelf. I've almost told him so many times. I won't tell him unless he says he likes me or asks, which ever comes first.

She thought about Derick for the rest of the evening, until she fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

"I can't believe this! I'm FINALLY going on my pilgrimage!" Luna cried as she sat at the kitchen table a year later. Not much had happened in that year. She was in the middle of breakfast when she heard,

Come to the temple. Now.

"I have to go to the temple." Luna said, standing.

"But you know you're forbidden from going to the temple." Betty said.

"But Ifrit said so." Luna said. That was the first time that he had said anything since the day that she had summoned him a little over a year ago.

"Ok. But I'm coming with you, since I'm your gaurdian."

"Derick should go, too."

"Ok. Let's go get him."

At the temple, the priest that had banned Luna met them.

"I thought that I told you that you couldn't come here." the priest said.

"But this is important!" Luna exclaimed.

"What could be so important?"

"I don't know, but Ifrit said I had to."

"They cannot go. It's against the teachings."

"No, it's not. They're my gaurdians."

"Oh, go ahead then."

"I'm sure my father would thank you."

"And why is that?"

"Because he was High Summoner Braska." Luna said as she ran up the stairs, leaving the priest to stare at nothing.

Luna showed her two new gaurdians how to work the puzzle to get to the Chamber of the Fayth. After they entered the room that lead to the Aeon, Luna stopped.

"What's wrong?" Derick asked.

"Only the summoner can go in after this point. You guys wait here." Luna said as she walked to the door. the slid open and Luna walked inside.  
Luna went to the case, knelt beside it, and then prayed, and the man called Ifrit appeared.

"You said I needed to come. What's wrong?"

"Sin is back."

"I thought dad killed it?"

"Yes, he did, but it comes back. It is reborn. Now your job is to destroy it. Of course there are going to be other summoners going, bur you have to try and be the first."

"Ok."

"You know the price that has to be paid for this, correct?"

"Yes, sir." Luna said with a nod.

"Then go. Call upon me when you need me."

"Yes, sir." Luna said, leaving. After getting back to the others, they left the temple to catch the ship to Luca. Luna had only been to Luca once before, on her way to Kilika. She hadn't left the island since shge had arrived,

"What did Ifrit say?" Derick asked.

"Sin has returned and he said it is my job to defeat it."


	11. Chapter 11

After they got outside, they headed for the port, when suddenly, there was a large, cool breeze. All three of them looked in the direction in which the breeze had come, and seen a huge wall of water coming upon them. They tried to run, hoping to get away, but didn't make it. Just as the water hit her, Luna felt a pair of hands grab her.Luna and whoever had grabbed her were swept away with the current. The person grabbed onto something and the water went around them. After the current swept pass them, Luna looked behind her, seeing Betty lay lifeless in the water."BETTY!" Luna screamed, falling to the ground, crying."Luna, Come on. There's nothing we can do." Derick said.

It was a few days later, and a summoner had arrived. The sending was about to start, and Luna was sitting at home, in her room. Luckily, her house hadn't been hit.

"Luna, the sending is about to start."

"I can't go. I can't even stand the thought of Betty being gone."

"But, Luna-"

"Please, don't make me go." Luna asked, tears streaming down her face.

"It's ok. I won't make you go. I promise." Derick said, coming around and holding Luna, letting her cry. She cried for herself, for Betty, even for Derick, who had lost his cousin. Luna stood in Derick's arms for a good twenty minutes, just crying.

After her tears had finally stopped, Luna looked up at Derick and said,

"I promise to destroy Sin. For me, for you, especially for Betty."

"I'll be there every step of the way, I promise. Let's get some sleep. The boat sets said early tomorrow morning."

"Ok."


	12. Chapter 12

It seemed as if the ship took forever to set sail. Luna had went below deck as soon as she boarded the ship.

"Luna, don't you want to see who all came to see us off?" Derick asked, sitting down beside her on the floor.

"No. I hope that I never see Kilika again."

"Ok. We'll stay down here until we reach Luca, ok?"

"Ok."

"I know what'll get your mind off things once we get there."

"What's that?"

"The Blitzball tournament." Derick was a huge Blitzball fan. He had taught Luna everything she knew about Blitzball.

"It's already time for the tournament?"

"Yeah. We can watch it before we go to Besaid."

"Ok."  
"I can't wait to see the Beasid Auorchs. Did you know that they haven't won a game in 23 years?"

"Really? And you want to see them lose again?"

"Well, their odds aren't all that good, but it would be amazing to see them win."

"Yes, it would." They continued to talk, not even worrying about time. After a while, Derick stood up.

"I'm going to go up and strech my legs. You can stay down here and explore for a while. If you need me, don't hesitate to come get me, ok?"

"Ok." Luna said as Derick left. She got up and started to explore.  
She found a door that said, 'power room' and went in. Inside, Luna seen some Chocobos running on huge wheels.

"Haven't you ever seen a Chocobo before?" A woman said, coming up behind her.

"Not in real life. They're beautiful animals."

"Yes, they are."

"Will they get to eat those greens?" Luna asked when she noticed the greens hanging on the outside of the wheels.

"Yes. That's their prize for doing a good job. We feed them regular Gyshal Greens, but we use thier favorites for this purpose."

"Well, as long as they are getting fed." Luna said, leaving. Just as sge walked out of the room, she noticed a blonde-haired boy that looked about Derick's age. He was just about, if not actually, six foot tall. He looked around as if he were looking for something and then left.

Luna had no idea what attracted her attention to him, but it did. Just as she was thrying to think if she knew him from somewhere, Derick came below deck.

"We better get to bed. It's getting late. You're going to was a lot of sleep for the tournament tomorrow."

"You're right. Let's go."


	13. Chapter 13

The next day, Luna awoke with a start. She looked around her and seen that the past few days hadn't been a dream. She looked up as the door opened. It was Derick.

"Oh, good. You're up. Come on deck. We're arriving in Luca."

"Ok. I'll be up in a little bit."

"Ok," Derick said as he turned to leave. "I'll be down here somewhere. Come find me."

"Sure." Luna said as Derick shut the door behind him. Luna got up and went to grab the small bag that she had put in the corner of the room. She knew she couldn't carry much, so she just brought what she knew she would really need. She took out her day clothes and began to get dressed.

It was her favorite outfit, when she wanted to dress up. The skirt was hunter green and went down to her ankles. It had white stars decerating the front of it. the shirt was white and came around her neck with an open back, no sleeves. With the way the shirt was made, the back was open. Instead of wearing a regular bra, she used a bathing suit top. She brushed her haor and then went took her bag and went to look for Derick.  
He was in the power room, looking at the Chocobos.

"Pretty, aren't they?" Luna asked.

"Yes, they are." Derick said as he turned to her. He looked at her and she seemed see that there was something else that he wanted to say.

"Are we ready to go?"

"Sure. You're going to be so amazed by Luca." Derick said as they left the power room. Luna couldn't believe it when she stepped out on deck. She could hear the announcer telling play-by-play of the game that was already underway. Derick had been right, she really was amazed. They weren't even off the boat for a minute when they heard,

"Maester Mika's in port number three!"

"Maester Mika? Let's go see him!" Luna cried, starting to walk toward the dock everyone else was walking to.

"Ok." Derick said, following her. They arrived at dock three to see a couple of gaurds walking down the plank to get off the boat. When they reached the bottom, they turned and bowed.

Luna looked back up at the top of the gang plank, and she saw a Guado. He was very tall with blue hair and a blue robe. His eyes were a shade of blue that almost looked purple. This was the first time that Luna had ever seen a Guado.

"Isn't that Maester Seymour?" Luna heard someone say. She looked and watched Meastor Seymour walk down the plank. When he reached the bottom, he turned and bowed, just as the ohter men had. She looked back up and saw Measter Mika at the top of the gang plank.

Luna showed her respect by bowing as Measter Mika came down the gang plank. He reached the bottom and said,

"Please, arise Measter Seymour. All of you as well. As you may know, Maester Jyskal passed on to the farplain one fortnight ago. His son, Seymour, has taken his place. I present to you, Measter Seymour."  
Maester Seymour turned and looked at the crowd. After a few seconds he said,

"My father wanted nothing more than for the humans and the Guado to live together in peace. I plan on continuing what my father had started. I plan to keep filling the gap between the humans and the Guado."

As the people cheered, Maester Seymour looked over the crowd. His gazed stopped on someone, but Luna couldn't tell who it was.

"Come on, Luna." Derick said. grabbing her hand, causing her to jump.

"You scared me."

"Sorry. Let's find a good seat for the tournament, ok?"

"Ok." Luna said, getting excited. This was the first professional blitzball game she had ever been to.


	14. Chapter 14

Somehow, Luna and Derick were able to grab some front row seats. As the field filled with water, Derick turned to Luna and said,

"Luna, there's something that I want to tell you."

"Oh? Is there something wrong?" Luna asked, turning to him.

"No. Nothing's wrong. I don't think there's anything wrong."

"Well, then, what is it?"

"I've been thinking a lot and-"

"Oh! you're not planning on not being my gaurdian anymore, are you?" Luna asked. She hoped to Yevon that he wasn't. Derick was all she had left since she lost Betty.

"No, it's not that. It's-" Derick said as the crowd began to cheer. Luna looked up as the teams came out onto the blitzball field. "I'll tell you later!" Derick cried over the noise.

"Ok!" Luna cried back. The first teams to play were the Besaid Auorchs and the Al Bhed Psyches. The game was intense. As the five minute time limit ticked away, both teams were trying to score as many goals as possible. Luna was amazed how the players could hold their breaths for two rounds of tive minutes a piece. As the half time buzzer rang, the score was tied, two to two.

Luna excused herself to use the rest room. She was washing her hands when she remembered that Derick was going to tell her something. I wonder what it could be, Luna thought as she left the restroom. She went back to her seat just as the second half was begining.

Both teams played very heard. No points had been scored and time was almost up. So far, it was a tie score. Luna looked up when she saw a flash of light. She looked back down into the blitzball sphere and saw Wakka, coach and captian of the Besaid Auorchs, lift up and swim full force with the ball.

Time was almost up. Is he going to make a goal in time, Luna thought. Just as the buzzer sounded to end the game, Wakka threw the ball.

"The Auorch's win, folks! For the first time in 23 years, they won! The Auorchs are in the finals!" The announcer cried.

"They won, Derick!" Luna cried, jumping up and hugging her gaurdian.

"I know! Isn't it great! They have a chance to win the Tournament! Let's see who they get to go up against." Derick said as the next game began.  
The Luca Goers beat the Ronso Fangs very easily. Luna couldn't wait to see the final match between the Goers and the Auorchs.As the Auorchs came on the field, Luna was looking for Wakka, but couldn't find him. Instead, she saw the blnde-haired boy from the boat.

"Derick, do you see that blonde-haired boy?"

"Yes. What about him?"

"I saw him last night on the boat. It was only for a moment, but I saw him."

"That must mean that the Besaid Auorchs were on the boat, too."

"I guess so. Let's see if the Auorchs win." Luna said.

"Ok." The first half went pretty well. The core was three to two, Luca Goers. Someone started to chant Wakka's name, and others began to join. Luna guessed that they didn't like the blonde-haired boy. She thought that he had played very well.

She looked out on the field and saw the boy leaving. This kind of disappointed Luna. She thought that he was kind of cute. After a few minutes, Wakka came out onto the field and the crowd cheered.

The restof the game was very good. The last goal was shot and the announcer cried,

"The Auorchs win, folks!"


	15. Chapter 15

As Luna and Derick came to an exit, a fiend appeared, blocking the way. It spotted them and moved in.

"The only thing we can do is fight!" Derick cried, bracing himself.

"Then let's do it!" Luna said, running toward it. Good thing I had spell skills last year, Luna thought. Derick was right behind her. He had found a stick and was using it as a weapon. As he attacked, Luna took a moment to looka t the stuation.The fiend was a dragon-type and it also seemed to have fire-based magic. Luna remembered the teacher telling the class to always use the fiend's weakness, if it had one. She that ice was strong against fire.

"Derick, watch out! It's gonna get cold!" Luna cried. Derick turned and seemed to catch the drift. He moved out of the way as Luna cast the spell. the fiend fell over, the pyreflies rising from its body and flew away.Luna remembered Betty telling her that when something died, the pyreflies told that it was truely dead. She wondered how many pyreflies came from her body when she was sent. A roar brought her back to the present.

She looked up to see another fiend. Derick began to attack it when there was a hugh flash of light. Luna stopped the water spell she was going to to cast and looked up. Her jaw dropped when she saw it. At first she thought it was a huge fiend. But when it killed all the fiends around, Luna knew it had to be an Aeon. This Aeon had huge wing like things that were tied against it's body with chains. The chains also caused the arms of the Aeon to be drawn up in front of it's body, ina crossed fashion. The chains were held in place by what appeared to be human arms, which were crossed at the elbows.The wrists of the human arms were cuffed. The chains of the cuffs were part of the chains that were wrapped around the Aeon. The chains on the cuffs hung down and were linked together by what appeared to be a huge dog tag. At the distance that Luna was at from the Aeon, she couldn't read what was on the tag.

Luna looked farther up still at it's face. It's face was partially covered. The covering came down over the Aeon's eyes. The covering was ripped and torn, but so as to see much of the bottom have of the face. The covering was torn over it's left eye, so that it could see. This was from where the Aeon's move was coming from. The Aeon's eye was bleeding, making it seem as if it was crying blood.There was movement from behind the Aeon. Luna saw it and looked over the large creature's shoulder and saw Measter Seymour, looking very calm.

It must be his, Luna thought, looking back at the Aeon. She had never seen anything like it. She never thought there could be an Aeon that big.

"Come on. Let's go." Derick said, grabbing Luna's hand and running. She began to run and then looked back at the Aeon. I wonder what it's thinking, Luna thought as she thought she saw a pained look in it's exposed eye.

"Luna, come one." Derick said, tugging on her hand, "we need to get you to safety."

"Ok." Luna said, her attention now on her gaurdian. She glanced over her shoulder quickly at the Aeon and then followed Derick.


	16. Chapter 16

Derick took Luna down to the cafe. They were sitting in a booth, and Luna still couldn't believe how big that the Aeon was. And she thought that Ifrit was big.

"Luna."

"Yes?" Luna asked, beign jerked back into the present.She looked up and saw the waitress.

"Are you ready to order?"

"Um, sure." They ordered and the waitress left.

"Are you ok? Did something hurt you?" Derick asked, looking like he could kill whatever had hit her with his bare hands.

"I'm fine, Derick. Nothing hurt me." Luna reassured him.

"Well, you tell me if you ever get hurt. I wouldn't be doing my job if you got hurt."

"Ok." Luna said, looking into his eyes.

"I have a question."

"Ok, what is it?"

"Why do you have one green eye and one blue one?" This struck Luna as odd.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been thinking a lot about it since the day I noticed it. Don't the Al Bhed have green eyes?"

"Yes."

"But don't ONLY the Al Bhed have green eyes?"

"Originally, yes."

"Then why do you have a green eye?"

"Because my mother was Al Bhed."

"Really? I've known you for years and there are still things I don't knwo about you."

"That's because you never asked, silly." Luna said.

"Well, now I have the chance to. Was your mom nice?"

"I don't know. She died of a fever two days after I was born."

"Was that when Betty came and took care of you?"

"No. Betty didn't come until right before my father left for his pilgrimage."

"Oh. Luna, can I tell you something?"

"Sure," Luna said, her heart skipping a beat.

"When you came out of the Cloister of Trials, you seemed to become a different perosn. I could never see that person as a friend."

"What are you saying?" Luna asked, expecting the worst. Right before Derick could say anything, the waitress was back with their food. When she left, Luna looked at Derick and said,

"I'll be right back." When she reached the restroom, she almost broke down. What's Derick going to tell me, Luna thought to her reflection. Is he going to tell me that he no longer wants to be my gaurdian? And if that's it, how am I suppose to find a new one? Everyone that I thought would have been my gaurdians are dead and I have no clue where Yuna is.

Luna washed her hands and went back out to the booth. She sat and smiled at Derick. He smiled back. His smile could always lift her mood, no matter how heavy. They ate in silence. After they were done, Luna began to feel sleepy.

They paid the bill and left to catch the ship to Besaid. They boarded and went below deck to find their cabin. It had been a long day full of excitment. Luna looked at Derick and asked in a sleepy voice,

"What was it you were going to tell me at the cafe?"

"I'll tell you later. Right now you just need to get some sleep. You have a lot ahead of you."

"Ok. Derick?" Luna asked as she cover herslef up.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted you to know that you're a really good gaurdian. I hope you don't plan on quitting on me."

"I'd never do that. You just get some sleep. I'm be back to check on you every once in a while, ok?"

"Ok." Luna said as Derick shut the door behind him. Luna fell asleep thinking about all that had happened that day.


	17. Chapter 17

When Luna awoke the next morning, Derick was sitting right next to the bed.

"Well, good morning." Derick said, getting up from his chair as she sat up.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. What about you? How much sleep did you get last night?" Luna asked. She had fallen asleep even before Derick had come to check on her the first time.

"About six hours. That's about as much as I usually get."

"Good."

"We're about to dock. I'll let you get ready." Derick said, turning to leave. Luna looked around and realized that her bag was gone, the realized she had left it in Luca.

"No need. I don't have a bag anymore."

"What happened to it?"

"I left it in Luca during all the excitment."

"Oops."

"Oh, well. Let's go see Besaid."

Once off the boat, Luna thought the beach was so beautiful. Derick had went to get directions to the temple and Luna walked to the beach. The water was a beautiful blue color that almost matched the sky.

As she was looking at the sky, wondering what was going to happen to her, Derick walked up.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked after a few mintues.

"Very. Did you get directions?"

"Yes. We can walk along the beach, it's on the way."

"Ok." They walked in silence for a while, then Derick grabbed her hand. Luna smiled to herslef and looked down.

"What was it you were going to tell me yesterday?" Luna asked suddenly, looking up into Derick's beep blue eyes. "Please tell me. You said that I cane out of the temple a different person. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Luna asked as they turned. Luna saw a path up ahead and assumed it was the way to the temple.

"It's a good thing." Derick said as they reached the path.

"Then tell me."

"Well, my feelings for you have grown, Luna. You seem much more mature than most of the girls my age. I don't was you just go with you on this pilgrimage, I want to be with you." Luna couldn't believe it. She nver imagined Derick ouls tell her anything like that.

"Derick, I like you, yoo. I've liked you for a lot longer than you probably think." Luna said, feeling herself blush.

"You see? The old Luna, the tomboy Luna, would never blush like that. Would you be my girlfriend. Luna?" Derick asked as they reached the sleepy little village of Besaid.

"Sure. You don't realize how long I've been waiting for you to say that." Luna said. They were walking through the village, still hand in hand, when a child with his mother walked up.

"Yuna!" The little boy cried, "you came back!" The mother looked up quickly.

"Yuna?" She asked.

"No, I'm not Yuna. Does she live here?" Luna asked, looking up at Derick.

"Yes, she went on her pilgrimage a couple of days ago. You look so much like her."

"High Summoner Braska's daughter, right?"

"Yes."

"That's my sister."

"I never knew she had a sister. You two could pass as twins."

"We use to get that a lot."

"Did you come to see her?"

"No. I, too, am on a pilgrimage. I'm here to pray at the temple."

"Oh. Don't let us interupt you. The temple is straight ahead. It was nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"Luna."

"Your names are so close."

"Our parents intended for us to be close."

"Oh? That's a good start. You better be off." the woman said as she took her son's hand.

"But, mommy! I want to play with Yuna!"

"That's not Yuna, honey. Yuna will be back, don't worry."

"She must have been very popular here." Derick said as they walked on. They found the temple and went in. A priest spotted them and walked up.

"Oh. I thought you were someone I know." the priest said, confused for a moment.

"Yuna is my sister." Luna said.

"Oh? I didn't know that." The priest said.

"I don't think that too many people do." Luna said, looking around the temple.

"Oh!" Luna exclaimed as she spotted a statue of her father. "You have a statue of my father. It's nice to see his face again, even if it isn't actually him." Luna said, walking over to the statue.

"Yes. We waited most of the calm for it." The priest said.

"That's a long time to wait." Derick said.

"Are you here to see Yuna?" The priest asked.

"No. I had no clue she was living here. I'm here to pray for Valfore's help." Luna explained.

"Oh. Well, go on in. Are you her gaurdian?" The priest asked, turning his attention to Derick.

"Yes, sir." Derick answered.

"You gaurd her with your life. That's how a good gaurdian is." The priest  
advised.

"I plan on it." Derick said, looking at Luna.

"Well, go on in."


	18. Chapter 18

"Are you ready?" Derick asked as they walked in.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Luna said. They walked down a small flight of stairs and Luna noticed a glyph sphere in the wall. She walked over and took it. "We'll probably need it in a little bit." Luna said as she turned. She saw another flight of stairs and went down them. Just as she thought, there was a place in the closed door below for the pink glyph sphere. Luna inserted the sphere and then Derick pushed it open.Once they walked in, they had to turn to their left.

They walked until reached a corner and turned right. Luna saw a small pillar sitting near the left wall about twenty feet in front of them. On the right wall, a huge glyph was glowing. Out of couriosity, Luna went over and touched it.She jumped and moved back when the wall slid up into the cieling. As the wall disappeared, Luna looked at Derick. They both went into the room and found a Besaid sphere. Luna took it and went back out of the room.

Luna placed the Besaid sphre in the pillar and the wall dematerialized. Luna went back and got the glyph sphere in the door and put it in the pillar and then started to push the pillar, but then Derick stopped her and said,

"If this is going to go like the last one, you're going to need your strength." Derick pushed the pillar until it stopped in the back of the room beyond. They both looked up and saw a platform materialize. They both stepped onto the platform and it started to move. Luna was very nervous. What if I don't a good enough job and he refuses to help? Can I still continue that way, Luna asked herslef. Derick much have noticed her nervousness.

"Don't be nervous. I'm right behind you, no matter what happens." He said as he stepped off the platform.

"Let's go." Derick said, taking her hand as they walked down a small hallway and into a huge room. It was most defenitly the biggest room in the place.There was a big flight of stairs on the other side of the room. They walked to the stairs and stopped.

"No matter what, you can't go in there. No matter if I scream or don't come out for a week. There's no telling what's going to happen. Promise me what you won't go in there. No matter what." Luna said.

"I promise." Derick said as he leaned down and kissed her. She leaned against him and kissed him back. She never knew that her first kiss would be so exciting.

"Promise you'll come back to me." Derick said as the kiss was broken.

"I promise." Luna said, her knees a little weak from the kiss. She turned and started up the stairs, thinking about all the people she was doing this for. She turned and looked down at at Derick, remembering the whole incident that got her into this.

She smiled at the memory of Matt telling her to go. She and Derick never found him nor did they ever hear anything about him. She turned back and went through the door.


	19. Chapter 19

Inside, the room was almost looked like the one in the Kilika temple, all except the creature in the case. Luna got on her knees in front of the case and prayed. When she opened her eyes, there floated the spirit of the creature, Valefore. Luna looked up at him, and he seemed confused.

"I know that Yuna has been here. I am her sister, Luna. I, too, am a summoner. I have come to ask for your help."

"And for what reason would you like my help?""I know that others are on their way to defeat Sin, but I would like to go, too. Just in case those ahead of me do not make it."

"You also seem to have other reason? What are they?"

"I live on the island of Kilika, and Sin attacked it a few days before I left, killing someone very close to me. I vowed to do my best to defeat Sin, if I was the first to make it." Luna explained. By this time, she was standing."You have worthy cause to be on this pilgrimage. I shall join you." Valefore said as he flew toward her. He entered her body and she passed out, falling on top of the case.


	20. Chapter 20

Luna awoke and looked around. There was no sign of Valefore, so Luna figured that he had joined her. She stood and tried to walk, only to stumble and come close to falling. She thought she should have sit down for a second, but then thought about what she still needed to do. She walked out of the room, knowing she had a lot of travel and not so much time to do it in.

As she came to the stairs that led down into the room, Luna missed a step, stumbling. She left Derick's hands grab her as she fell.

"Are you ok?" Derick asked.

"I feel so weak. How long has it been?"

"About five hours."

"Was that how long it was in Killika?"

"Give or take."

"He's here to help us." Luna said with a smile.

"Good. Let's go out and get some rest, ok?"

"That sounds good." Luna said as they began to leave. Just as they were  
about to leave the temple, Luna stopped to look at her father's statue. She just stood there for a moment looking at it and then said,"I hope I do well. I just want to do the right thing."

"Don't worry, you are." Derick said, coming up behind her.

"I think so, too." Luna said, smiling. "Let's go t bed. I'm tired.

"Yeah, me, too. Worrying for five hours straight can really take a lot out of you."

"I bet so." Luna said, laughing.


	21. Chapter 21

The next morning, Luna awoke to Derick sitting right next to her bed. He looked like he had been watching her for some time.

"How long have you been watching me?" Luna asked, sitting up.

"Um, I don't know. Good mornin', though." Derick said.

"Good morning." Luna said, getting up.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I guess so. I'm still sore from passing out."

"What! You passed out? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, it happned the last time, too. I'm thinking that when the Aeon joins you, your body does that so it can have time to adjust." Luna explained.

"Oh. Maybe. Well, if it's suppose to happen, I guess it's ok. Let's go catch the early ship." Derick suggested.

"Ok." Luna said, who was up and already heading for the door.

"This ship is going to be a little slower. I hope you don't mind a long ride." The crew member that met them said.

"That's fine." Derick said. Luna's attention was drwan by a boy on the ship. He looked about her age with a bright blonde shade of hair with broad shoulders and dark tan skin. He turned and looked straight at Luna. His eyes were a bright emrald green.

An Al Bhed, Luna thought as the boy walked up. Coming closer, the wasn't all that bad looking. He had a look of determination on his face as he stopped in front of her.

"Rammu." The boy said.

"What?" Derick asked, walking up behind Luna and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Rammu." Luna said in return. She had learned Al Bhed at a young age, so she knew the language well.

"Oui ryja y knaah aoa. Oui yna Al Bhed?"

"E ys uh so sudran'c ceta." The boy squinted his eyes and then turned and left.

"You know Al Bhed?" Derick asked when the boy left.

"Yes. My father was teaching me. I was enjoying it when he left, so I continued."

"Did Yuna learn?"

"No. She didn't like it so she quit after daddy left."

"Oh. What was that about?" Derick asked.

"Well, he asked if I was Al Bhed becasue of my green eye, and I said that I was on my mother's side, and that's when he left. I hope he's not one to not believe in mixed races. I heard Measter Seymour was part human and part Guado." Luna said, trying to change the subject.

"Really? We'll have to make sure that boy doesn't try anything. Stay near me, ok?"

"Ok." Luna said, following Derick to one side of the ship to look out at the ocean. They had been standing there for about five minutes when Derick walked behind Luna and put his arms around her waist. She put her arms on his and leaned into him. She had never felt so safe in her life as she did in his arms.

After about another half hour, Luna walked out of Derick's arms, having to use the restroom.

"I'll be right back." She said, giving him a quick kiss. She went below deck, thinking about how lucky she was. Right before she reached the restroom door, the Al Bhed boy stopped her.

"You're nothing but a half-breed," the boy said in Al Bhed. Luna knew that no one else could understand, so she had to take care of it herself.

"So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?" Luna said, trying her best to not look scared.

"Are you a summoner?" The boy asked.

"Yes."

"You go against your religion?"

"I do not follow the Al Bhed religion."

"You should. You're Al Bhed, just like me."

"I am part Al Bhed. Just because I have Al Bhed in me doesn't mean that I have to follow that religion." Luna began to argue.

"But the Al Bhed religion is much safer. As an Al Bhed, you know this."

"This is what I choose."

"If you were to follow your Al Bhed roots, you could be dating me." The boy said, moving closer, Luna already up against the wall. "Maybe you still can." The boy said as he kissed her.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22  
Luna couldn't believe it. She had made no moves toward this boy and he was kissing her! She pushed the boy hard enough to end the kiss. Out of rage, Luna smacked the boy straight across the face.  
"You stay away from me! It's people like you that give the Al Bhed a bad name!" Luna cried as she walked off.  
"You'll be mine! Even if I have to kidnao you!" the boy cried after her.  
"I'd love to see you try! My guardian will make sure that you're taken care of if you try! And not only is he my guardian, he's also my boyfriend, so lay off!" Luna cried. She had stopped to yell. No one could have helped because the whole exchange was in Al Bhed. Luna was so mad that tears where in her eyes.  
There's no way i can tell this to Derick, Luna thought as she made her way back. She went back to where Derick was standing and tried to act casual, but she must have given off some vibe that told Derick that she was upset.  
"Everything ok?" Derick asked as he put his arms back around her.  
"Yeah. Never been better. Just thinking." Luna lied. Well, only part of it was a lie. She was pretty sure she had never been this mad in her whole life.  
"Ok. If you're sure. You tell me if something's bothering you, ok?"  
"Ok." Luna said. Anything but this, she thought.  
Luna went to bed that night worrying about the Al Bhed boy. That was when she realized that she didn't even know the boy's name. Maybe it's better off that way, Luna thought as she fell asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning when Luna awoke, she noticed that Derick wasn't sitting by the bed, like he had been for the past couple of mornings. She shrugged it off for his not liking to stay indoors.Luna got out of bed and freshened up. After she was done, she went above deck to see if Derick was there. As she turned a corner, she saw the Al Bhed boy from the day before. She ducked back behind the corner and waited for her heart to stop racing.

They were speaking in low tones, but were close enough to still be heard.

"We'll bide our time," the boy said to his friend.

"When will we give the signal?" the friend asked.

"We'll wait a while and then do it. I want to follow the summoner on this ship for a while."

"But isn't that risky, Braba?" The friend asked. His name is Braba, Luna said. "What if she figures out what we're up to?"

"She won't. We've planned this too well. Let's go get something to eat." Braba said. Luna quickly acted as if she had just come from around the corner.

"Kuut sunhehk." Luna said, trying to sound casual.

"Good morning." Luna heard back. She rounded the next corner to see Derick. She smiled when he turned and looked at her.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Derick asked as he kissed her.

"Good morning. Yes, I did slep well. Did you not want to stay below deck this morning?"

"No. It's so nice out here that I htought that I'd stay out here this morning. Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. I was just wondering. I know how much you love to be outside." Luna said.

"As long as it doesn't bother you. Are you hungry?"

"Not really, but I should eat something. I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."

"Are you sure you're not getting sick?" Derick asked.

"I'm sure." Luna answered, knowing the exact reason she wasn't hungry. She was still a little shaken up about what Braba had said.


	24. Chapter 24

Nothing had happened for the rest of the day. Luna decided to stay within sight of Derick that night. He seemed to have befriended a young Ronso and he wanted Luna to meet him.

"Yaku, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Luna." Derick said as he caught his new friend's attention.

"It's very nice to meet you." Luna said to the Ronso.

"Taku very glad to meet Luna." Yaku said. Luna had only met one other Ronso, and he didn't even talk while he was waiting for Yuna to pack. Derick smiled and began to talk to Yaku. Eventually Luna ventured off, making sure that Derick was in full sight. As she looked out at the ocean, thinking of what was to come. She couldn't believe that her life had turned out this way.

Five years ago, she would have never believed that Betty would leave her as she left on her pilgrimage. She wouldn't have believed she would have went on a pilgrimage, either.Thinking about Betty was bittersweet for Luna. Sweet in the way of all the memories she had of her beloved nanny. It was bitter because Luna wanted Betty to be here with her while she was on her adventure.

"Why do you cry?" Luna suddenly heard in Al Bhed. Braba, she thought as she turned to him.

"Was I?" Luna asked as she noticed the tears run down her cheeks.

"Yes. What is wrong? Has that boy that is with you hurt you?""No. Derick would never hurt me. He's my best firend."

"But yesterday you said he was your boyfriend."

"He's both. He was my best friend long before he was my boyfriend. Why should you care?"

"Just thought I'd ask, since I do not see him." This caused Luna to looked around, finding no trace of Derick. She also saw it as an oppertunity to leave.

"Excuse me. I must find him." Luna said, leaving before Braba could say anything else. Luna walked up to Yaku and asked,

"Where did Derick go?"

"Derick go below deck to find Luna. Derick tell Yaku to tell Luna that he looks for her when Yaku see her."

"Thank you, Yaku." Luna said, turning to go below deck. She couldn't wait to land in Luca the next day. Maybe I could leave before Braba would have a chance to find me, Luna thought as she walked below deck.


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning, Luna was up early. She went above deck and looked out at Luca in the distance. She had never been happier. She wanted to get off the boat, and not just because of Braba. She ws ready to continue her pilgrimage ahd hoped to run into Yuna.She found Derick below deck, trying to check on her.

"There you are. Good morning." Derick said as he kissed her.

"Good morning." Luna said when the kiss ended. It still made her knees weak when he kissed her, even though he was kissing her good morning every morning anymore. Luna looked over Derick's shoulder and saw Braba glaring at her.

"Let's go above deck. Luca was just coming into view when I was up there."

"Is everything ok?" Derick asked. He must have seenthe worry in my eyes, Luna thought, looking into his."Of course. I just thought that it would be nice to watch Luca come into view."

"Ok. Let's go."

After docking, Luna couldn't get off the ship fast enough. She could finally contiune what he had started two years ago.

"Wanna get something to eat before we go?" Derick asked. Luna thought he was asking for her benefit because he didn't look all that hungry to her.

"No, not really. Are you hungry?"

"No. I'm still full from breakfast." he answered. As they walked through Luca, they held hands.

"I wish we would have heard something on Matt before we had left Kilika." Derick said as they reached the Mi'ihen High Road.

"Me, too. He could be annying at times, but he was still my friend." Luna commented.

"Yeah. I bet you miss Betty a lot."

"Yes. I was just thinking about her last night. She had found out that I liked you the birthday that you gave me that Corel. She would have loved to hear that we're together. She may have been my nanny when I was little, but we became more like sisters as we grew." Luna explained as they walked.

"I could tell you were close. I felt worse for you losing Betty than for myself losing my cousin."

"Oh, Derick. Were you really that worried about me?"

"Yes."

"You're all I have left, Derick." Luna said, just realizing how small her circle of friends was.

"You still have Yuna."

"I haven't seen her since I was five years old. How can I still have her if I haven't seen her in ten years?"

"Well, you are right." Derick said."You'll always have me. There's no need to worry. Like the priest in Besaid advised, I'm going to protect you with my life."


	26. Chapter 26

Luna couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She and Derick had foudn an inn alon the High Road and then stopped for the night. Luna was sitting across from the inn, watching the sun set behind a set of ruins projecting from the ocean. Derick was inside, trying to get a little extra rest.As Luna sat watching the sun, she felt someone behind her. She turned to see and Al Bhed. Thankfully, it wasn't Braba, Luna thought as she stood  
The man stood about six foot tall with shoulder-length blonde hair and dark tan skin.

"Rammu." Luna said.

"You speak Al Bhed?" The man asked in English.

"Yes. I would have said hello in English if I had known that you spoke the language." Luna said, converting back to her native tounge.

"It's quite alright. Let me introduce myself. My name is Rin. I run the inns in Spria. Are you finding your stay pleasant?" Rin asked.

"Of course. My name is Luna." She said, holding out her hand. Rin shook it and looked into her eyes.

"I couldn't help but notice you have a green eye. You have Al Bhed heritage?"

"Yes, my mother was an Al Bhed."

"Your father didn't happen to be High Summoner Braska, did he?"

"Yes."

"Your father was a very brave man. You are following in his footsteps?"

"Yes, I am." Luna said, chivering from the cool ocean breeze.

"You are cold? Come, let's go inside where it is warm." Rin said, walking toward the inn. Luna followed. As they stepped inside, the feeling of being watched vanished.

"I must attend to some business. I hope you enjoy your stay. If you have any questions, please, feel free to come ask." Rin said in his deep Al Bhed accent.

"Thank you, Mr. Rin." Luna said.


	27. Chapter 27

"Hey, Luna!" Derick called from the spot that Luna had met Rin the night before. He walked up and kissed her.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

"Isn't this view great?"

"You should see it when the sun's setting behind it." Luna said.

"I bet. Have you eaten yet?"

"Nope. I am pretty hungry."

"Me, too. Let's go get some breakfast." Derick said.

"Ok." Luna said, her stomach growling.

After breakfast, they were off. Luna told of her meeting with Rin.

"He spoke in English?"

"Yes. But I had said hello in Al Bhed, just in case. He was a very nice man."

"Was Al Bhed hard to learn?"

"No, not really. Not when you start from a young age. I was begining to talk well when I was first being taught."

"Oh, wow. Betty helped you, right?"

"Most of the time that I can remember. She had learned because she a live-in nanny. She never knew who she would work for." By this time, they had come to a cargo check point. They were stopped by a guard that said,

"I'm sorry, but you can't go any further at this time. I'm sorry for any inconvenince."

"But she's a summoner. She needs to get through." Derick said.

"I'm sorry. As soon as Operation Mi'ihen is done, you can pass. I'm just doing as I'm told."

"Can you tell us about Operation Mi'ihen?" Luna asked the guard.

"Well, as you know, Sin always comes back for it's spawn. We have captured some of it's spawn and we hope to lure Sin to the shore so we can attack."

"What are you going to attack it with I doubt our weapons are any match for Sin." Derick said.

"We're using Al Bhed machina."

"Machina? But machina are against the teachings." Luna said.

"It's our only hope. All we can do is try it. The teachings do not say that we cannot try using machina." the gaurd said.

"How long should Operation Mi'ihen last?" Luna asked.

"It should be starting soon. We'll let you know when it starts, ok?"

"Ok." Luna said. She seen a path a little ways behind them and she wanted to explore it. Derick wasn't far behind. Luna thought the little trail was cute, with all it's vegatation. Derick was walking next to her when they reached a clearing. It had some ruins and it looked very beautiful.

Following the stone path, they came to a dead end. This disapointed Luna. She was hoping it would lead somewhere but instead it lead to two middle aged men sitting and talking about nothing.

"Well, that's pooy." Luna said, turning to Derick. "That wasn't interesting at all."

"Well, does it help when I say that you'll always be interesting to me?" Derick asked. By this time, they had made it back to the clearing. Luna turned to Derick and said,

"It'll do," as she kissed him. Suddenly, there was a huge breeze and Luna knew deep down that it was Sin.


	28. Chapter 28

Luna sprinted all the way back to the cargo check point, a feeling of dread falling over her. Derick arrived a few seconds after she did.

"I forgot how fast you were," Derick said, out of breath.

"Remind me never to bet I'm faster."

"Later." Luna said, not even hearing what he had said.

"You have to let me in." Luna told the guard.

"I'm sorry. I can't until the coast is clear."

"But-"

"Measter Seymour's orders."

"Ohhhhhh!" Luna cried, getting aggraveted. Luna would have cast lighting on the guard and went on through, if it wasn't for Derick. He knew how Luna could get, and she tried to fight him.

"Let me go! I'm going to get in there! Even if it's the last thing I do!"

"Luna! Settle down! You know this isn't going to help anything. They'll probably let us in soon."

"No. Let me go." Luna said as Derick picked her up and walked away from the gate. He made it seem as if she weighed nothing.

"Luna, if I let you down, you have to promise that you'll stay here. You know I'm not afraid to come after you." And he wasn't. Luna had once tried leave on her own to find Yuna, and he had come and drug her off the boat, kicking and screaming.

"Fine, I'll stay." Luna said reluctantly. Derick sat her down and she smiled, looking at the gate. She looked at Derick and then acted as if she as if she were going to make a run for it. Derick grabbed her and Luna began to laugh. He realized it was a joke and then also began to laugh.

"I'll get you for that one!" Derick cried as he started to tickle her. They were faceing each other and Luna had her back arched, Derick bending with her. Luna lost her balance and then grabbed onto Derick, bringing him down on top of her.

"Are you ok?" Derick asked, not moving.

"Yes." Luna said, beginning to laugh again. She opened her eyes and looked into Derick's.

"I love you." Derick said suddenly, catching her off gaurd.

"I love you, too." Luna said. Derick kissed her, and even though she wasn't standing, her knees still turned to jelly. After the kiss, she felt as if her lungs were going to explode.

"Um, do you think you could off me now? I can't breath."

"Oh, yeah. Sure." Derick said as he stood and then helped Luna up.


	29. Chapter 29

"I'm sorry. But we've been told to not let anyone through for the next couple of days." The guard said.

"What do you mean, the next couple of days? I need to go through now!" Luna exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"You're sorry? You're sorry? My pilgrimage has been stopped dead and all you can do is say that you're sorry?"

"Ma'am, please. I'm just doing as Measter Seymour says. There's nothing I can do."

"OHHHH!" Luna cried, turning and walking away from the check point. Derick was close behind.

"Luna, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

"How can everything be fine if I can't continue my pilgrimage? What's going to happen next? Am I going to be kidnapped or something?" Luna said as she walked toward the travel agency.

"Don't say that, Luna." Derick said, walking up behind her.

"I want to go!"

"No!" Derick cried suddenly, making Luna stop dead in her tracks. She turned to face him.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm going to lose you soon enough. I haven't found a way to save you, yet. I don't want you to go." Derick said.

"But, Derick, you know what I have to go. You know what I must do."

"I know, but I don't want you to die!" Derick cried as they arived at the travel agency. They got a room with two beds and then went outside.

"What did you mean when you said you haven't figured out a way to save  
me yet?" "I'm going to find a way to defeat Sin and keep you alive. Do you really want the same fate as your father?" Derick asked.

"If it's for the good of Spira, yes."

"No. I don't want you to die just so that Sin can be re-born!" Derick said, standing. "I'll be inside." He walked away as he talked. After he had went back into the inn, Luna went to the spot where she had met Rin the day before.

She couldn't believe that things had turned out this way. She sat looking at the ruins in the water until the sun went completely down. Then Luna went inside to go to sleep.

When she entered the room, she noticed that Derick was already in bed. He must really be upset about this, Luna thought as she got into bed. It made her sleep troubled that night.


	30. Chapter 30

When they went out to see about continuing, the excuse was the same.

"I'm sorry. The clean up is still incomplete. I'll make sure that you're notified when it's done."

"Thank you." Luna said, turning to leave. Derick had stayed at the inn. He still seemed upset about the evening before."Oh, ma'am," the guard said, causing Luna to turn.

"Yes?"

"Are you a summoner?"

"Yes."

"I must warn you. There have been reports of summoners being kidnapped. Please be careful."

"I will. Thank you." Luna said as she walked away. I better stay close to Derick, Luna thought as she walked back to the travel agency. When she arrived, she found Derick sitting in the spot where she liked to sit at. She went and sat beside him and looked out at the ruins. After a few minutes, Luna placed her hand on Derick's arm and asked,

"Is everything ok?" He looked at her and she gazed into his eyes.  
"I guess so. You look troubled. What's wrong?"

"There's been reports of summoners being kidnapped." Luna said, biting down on her lip.

"Don't worry." Derick said, touching her cheek. "I won't let them get you. If they do, I'll chase them down until I either find you or die in the process."

"Promnise?"

"Promise." Derick said, kissing her. The kiss lingered for a moment, and Luna wished he hadn't pulled away. It was late in the afternoon and a breeze began to blow. Luna shivered as the breeze swept over her.

"Come, on. Let's go inside where we can keep warm." Derick suggested.

"Ok. We'll be informed when we can continue." Luna said as they walked in.

"Alright."

After they had eaten dinner, a guard came into the inn.

"Are either of you a summoner?"

"I am." Luna said, looking up at the guard.

"Clean up is complete. You can go when you are ready,"

"Thank you." Luna said as the gaurd left.

"We'll leave in the morning. We'll travel only during the day. It'll be much safer for you."

"Ok. Derick?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." She meant it with all her heart. Not just her heart, but also her soul. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him.

"I love you, too."


	31. Chapter 31

The next morning, Luna awoke to Derick sitting next to her bed.

"Good morning." Derick said as she sat up.

"Good morning. How was your night?"

"Pretty good.You had a nightmare of some sort. Do you remember any of it?" Did she ever.

"Yes."

"What was it?"

"Well, it started out well enough. It was when I was little, right before Betty came to us. I remember being in my room, playing with my Corel. Daddy called my name and I went downstairs.

"When I got there, nothing looked as I remembered it. I looked looked all over the house and couldn't find anyone. I went to the backyard and there were people sitting in chairs.

"In front of them were four caskets. As I walked by the people, I noticed they were crying. I reached the caskets, and walked up to the first one. Inside the casket lay my mother. The second one contained my father. By this time, I was crying.

"I looked over and noticed two other caskets. As I walked past the caskets, I grew older. The third casket was Yuna's. As I came to the fourth, I didn't want to look, but something told me I had to.

"In it lay Betty. Her skin was a pale blue color and she looked puffy, as if she were full of water. Two more caskets had been brought while I was looking in the others. These two caskets were closed. I asked the priest if I could look, and he said I could look as long as I had a strong stomach.

"The first casket I opened smelled horrible. I looked inside and the body was so mangled that I could barely recognize it. the face was bloody and torn. The eyes opened and they were yours. I dropped the lid and began to sob. I looked up at the priest, and realized he was the priest from Besaid.

"I asked how you died and he told me that the summoner he was guarding died and he couldn't live with it so he killed himself.

" 'But that doesn't explain why his face is torn.'

" 'He tried to cut his own eyes out because all he could see when he closed his eyes was her.'

" 'And the next one is-'

" 'Yes. You can look if you want to.' I opened the casket and akk that lay on the pillow was a right arm. I asked what had happned, and he told me that I had been torn apart by fiends and that was all that was laft.

"I woke up, surprisingly not screaming. I died of my worst fear, Derick. I also fear that you would kill yourself if I were to die." Luna said through her tears. Derick was holding her, smoothing her hair.

"Don't worry. It was just a dream. Now," Derick said when she stopped scrying, "let's get some breakfast and get going, ok?"

"Ok." Luna said, now down to a sniffle every now and then.


	32. Chapter 32

As they walked the south bank of the Moonflow, Luna felt as if she were being watched. She would look behind a tree every now and then, but never saw anything. As they reached the shoopuff dock, Luna couldn't believe how big it was. She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

"It's so big! Have you ever seen anything that big, Derick?"

"I've rode one before. Remember when I went to Guadosalam to visit my family on the Farplain?"

"Yes. How exactly does the Farplain work, Derick?" Luna asked as they boarded the large, elephant-like animal.

"The pyreflies react to your memories and create an image. The images can't respond, but they are there for comfort."

"Let's visit the Farplain before we continue." Luna said as they departed.

"Ok." Derick said. Nothing happened on the way over the Moonflow. They got off the Shoopuff and continued on. They heard another Shoopuff come up on land as they walked. After a while, Luna once again felt as if she were being watched.

"This path is so pretty." Luna said as they walked, trying to shake the feeling that lingered.

"Sure is." Derick said. After another hour, Guadosalam came into sight. They reached the end of the Moonflow's north bank and walked into what seemed like an hollowed out tree. At the back of the structure was a path that lead down.

They walked in to see some shops and an inn. They walked into the inn to get a room. The sun was going down outside and and Luna was excited to see the Farplain. She didn't know if she wanted to go to the Farplain now or in the morning.

"We'll get something to eat and then go to the Farplain. We want to get an early start tomorrow." Derick said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Luna said as she ate. They finished their meal and then decided to go to the Farplain.

On their way there, they passed a place with a red door.

"I wonder who lives there." Luna said, looking at the door.

"Measter Seymour. That's where all the Measters of Guadosalam have lived."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Come on. It's up this hill." Derick said, taking Luna's hand. They came to a doorway with a Guado standing next to it. As they walked up, the Guado said,

"Good evening. I hope you are enjoying your stay in Guadosalam. Ahead lies the Farplain. Please, visit as long as you see fit."

"Thank you." Derick said, leading the way. They went down a long hallway and then came to a large flight of stairs. Luna looked at the stairs in front of her and then at Derick to her left.

"Ready?" Derick asked, looking at her.

"Ready? I'll race you!" Luna cried, getting a head start on her win.


	33. Chapter 33

Luna couldn't believe her eyes when she came to the top of the stairs. There was a barrier in the huge, open doorway that led to the Farplain. Just knowing that she would have to pass through the barrier excited Luna.

"You know, I heard that the late Measter Jyskal had escaped from the Farplain and Yuna sent him." Derick said as he caught up.

"Really? Yuna was here?"

"According to my knowledge. I heard some of the Guado talking about it."

"Wow. I've heard of sending an unsent, but sending someone that's already been sent? Now THAT would be soemthing to see."

"Yeah. Are you ready to go in?"

"I am now." Luna said, taking Derick's hand. They walked through the barrier and up the stairs. Luna's breath was taken away by the sight.

They were standing on a huge rock platform that was floating in mid-air. There was a field of flowers with a waterfall in front of them adn to the right. The rest of what they could see were clouds that were being pulled down, looking like the waterfall behind the field. The clouds fell below the the platform.

In front of and above them, Luna noticed what seemed to be a moon. It was full and beautiful. The only thing that made her think it wasn't a moon was that there was something black flowing around it.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Derick asked.

"Very." Luna said, still taking in the sight.

"Come on." Derick said, walking over to the edge. Luna walked up and looked over the edge. There was nothing but the orange-tinted clouds below them.

"It's ok. I won't let you fall. Come on, let's think of someone." Derick suggested.

"Ok." The first person to come to mind was her father. Luna saw some pyreflies come together and there floated High Summoner Braska, just as Luna had remembered him.

"Daddy." was all Luna could manage to whisper as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Are you going to be ok?" Derick asked.

"Yes. Daddy," Luna said, turning her attention back to the image of her father, "I miss you so much. I bet Yuna does, too." Luna couldn't think of anything else to say. She stared at him for a few minutes longer and then he disappeared. Even though he was gone, Luna still smiled.

"Is there anyone else?"

"You know there is." Luna said as Betty's image appeared. Upon seeing her, Luna began to cry. "Betty, you were suppose to be here with me. But Sin ruined that. I miss you so much. You were like my sister. You never took the place of Yuna, but we were still close. You would be so thrilled to know that me and Derick are together now.

"So much has happened since you left. I've vowed to defeat Sin for me, for Derick, and you. We don't know what happened to Matt." At the mention of his name, Matt appeared next to Betty.

"Oh, Matt." Luna said, setting her eyes on her past friend. She had a feeling the whole time that he was gone. She looked to her right and saw that Derick had moved down just out of earshot and was tlaking to the image of a man. Luna looked back and seen that both Betty and Matt were gone.

Luna walked up to Derick just as he finished talking. Luna stood and looked at the man for a moment, then realized that he must have been related to Derick in some way. Derick looked at Luna and said,

"Come here. There's someone I'd like you to meet. Dad," it's his father, Luna thought, "I want you to meet Luna This is the girl I told you about. Not only is she my girlfriend," Derick said, putting his arm around her, "but I'm also her guardian."

"You're just as handsome as your father, Derick. How did he die?"

"He died the same year that you came to Kilika. He kept the fiend population down in the woods that led to the temple. One day, a fiend had gotten the best of him. They said that he died quickly. I was happy he didn't suffer. How were your visits?" Derick asked after the image of his father disappeared.

"Pretty good, I guess. Derick, Matt's dead." Luna said suddenly.

"I kinda figured it." Derick said, his head down.

"I wonder how your mother is doing." Luna said. With that, an image of Derick's mother appeared.


	34. Chapter 34

"Oh, Derick." Luna said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I knew she was gone. Sin seen to that. I didn't say anything because I knew how much you liked her." Luna really did like Bethany. She was laways there when Luna needed someone to go to, and didn't want to go to Betty.

"Don't you grieve for her?"

"All the time. Just as much as you grieve for Betty."

"I bet so. You were so close."

"Yeah."

"We're all we have left, Derick." Luna realized aloud.

"Yep. I love you, mom." Derick said as the image disapated. "We should be getting back. We've been here for two hours." Derick said, turning to leave.

"Ok." Luna said as they started down the small flight of stairs that led to the barrier. As they entered Guadosalam, they passed two Guado women chatting. Luna couldn't help but hear what they said.

"Did you hear, Rosa? Measter Seymour is to marry!"

"Really? Do you know to who?" Rosa asked.

"Lady Yuna!"

"You have to be kidding me, Violet!"

"I kid you not! I was talking to Warren when..." That was all Luna heard as the women went out of earshot.

"Derick! Yuna's getting married!" Luna cried as she caught up with him. She had slowed down to hear the women.

"Where did you hear that from?"

"Those women."

"Were you listening to their conversation?"

"I couldn't help it!" Luna exclaimed.

"You're just like any other woman. You have to hear ever little piece, don't you?" Derick teased, smiling.

"I do when it has to deal with my sister." Derick laughed and stopped walking.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I love you." Derick said as he grabbed Luna as kissed her. It took her off guard, causing her ot cry out in surprise. She relaxed after a few seconds and started to kiss him back. She leaned into him for support just as she pulled away. He put his arm around her and they walked back to the inn together.


	35. Chapter 35

The next morning, Luna was up early, rejuvinated by seeing her loved ones once again. She was up before Derick, so she decided to take a walk around Guadosalam. She was walking around when she thought she saw someone pulling back into the shadows. She walked over, hoping to find however was in the dark.

Before she could react, Luna was grabbed. She was roughly brought close to the person's body and a hand was brought tightly over her mouth.

"Tuh'd syga y cuint." A voice rasped in her ear. She was so frightened it took her a moment to translate the Al Bhed to english. When she finally figured out that her captor had said, 'don't make a sound', she nodded. Luna thought she recognized the voice, but she wasn't sure.

She was blindfolded and then taken out of the hiding place. She felt a hand take her left arm, while her orginal captor had the right. She couldn't believe it, she was being kidnapped. She knew she was better off doing as they asked, for now.

She walked where she was guided and then felt rain falling on her. I'm in the Thunder Plains, Luna thought as she brought to a rough stop.

"Ok. Come get us." The familiar voice said. It was Braba. Luna jumped as she heard a huge peal of thunder. After no telling how long, she heard something. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was loud.

It landed and she felt hersled be lifted into the big thing that had come for them. As Luna was lifted, she heard,

"Grab him, too." It was faint, and she wondered if she had imagined it. After a couple of seconds, she heard the door close and she was once agian being guided somewhere.

"Take him to the other room." Luna heard Braba say. They walked for a little while longer and then Luna heard another door open, then was shoved into the room beyond. As the Luan heard the door shut, she found her voice.

"Braba, what do you think that you're doing?"

"How do you know my name?" Braba cried angerly as he shoved her to the floor. Since Luna had spent all those years roughhousing with Derick and Matt, the fall didn't hurt all that much. Braba moved behind her and tied her hands behind her back. Luna was still blindfolded, so she had no clue where she was.

She felt the floor shake and then had a feeling of moving up.

"Where are we?" Luna asked as Braba finished tying her hands.

"What? Stop speaking in english. Speak in Al Bhed."

"Frana yna fa?" Luna asked again, this time in Al Bhed.

"We are on an airship in the Thunder Plains."

"Ow. These ropes are hurting my wrists." Luna said, tyring to loosen them just a little. Braba was nice enough to loosen the ropes that bound her. After a few minutes, there were ropes being tied around her ankles.

"Could you at least take the blindfold off? I don't think I'm really going to be capable of going anywhere." Luna said, moving her now bound feet.

"Ok." Braba said as he took off the blindfold. Just as he put the blindfold on the floor, another Al Bhed walked in.

"The boss wants you to take this summoner to Home."

"Tell me I have special for her." Braba said. What could that mean, Luna thought, all kinds of things racing through her mind.

"Ok. He knows that you've been following her for a while." The Al Bhed said as he left. Braba knelt beside her and whispered in her ear,

"I told you you would be mine." He pulled back and she looked at him.

"You don't own-" Luan was cut short when Braba kissed her. She shivered as icey drops of fear went down her spine. He must have taken the shiver as pleasure because he continued to kiss her.

What's going to happen to me? was all that Luna could think.


	36. Chapter 36

When Braba pulled away, he stood up and looked down at Luna.

"Those kisses keep getting better and better."

"You wish." Luna spat up at him.

"No need to get that way. You should be thanking me. I'm saving your life from something that would bever make a difference."

"It would to! Don't you ever say that again." Luna said.

"Be that way. I'll be back to check on you in a bit." Braba said, turning and leaving the room.

Great. Now what am I gonna do? Luna thought as she sat in the middle of the floor, bound and tied at the hands and feet. She looked around the room for something to cut the ropes with.

In one corner there was some machina that had something that had something that looked like a blade on it. She scoot herself as well and as fastas she could to the machina. She turned herself around and began to saw away at the ropes on her wrists.

While she cut at the ropes, she felt a sharp pain in her left palm and then felt blood trickle down her hand. I'll worry about it later, Luna thought as she contined to cut at the ropes. She cut herself three more times before she got the ropes loose enough to slide off.

She heard someone in the hall so she slid up against the the wall, pushing the rope behind her as she went. Just as she leaned up agianst the wall, Braba's friend from Besaid came in.

"We're almost there." The boy said.

"Ok." Luna said, acting defeated. As the boy left the room, Luna got her hands in front of her so she could undo her feet. When she was free, Luna got up and and went to the door.

The door opened and she crept out, looking around to make sure that no one was coming. Suddenlym her mind switched to Derick. How long had it been? Has he woken up and realized that I'm gone? If so, will he be able to find me, Luna thought as she walked.

Just as she came to a door, it opened. Both Al Bhed women on the other side of the door were turned, talking to each other, not paying attention. Luna's breath caught in her throat as she heard,

"Is there anyone there?" The woman on the right said, turning. She was looking straight at Luna, but didn't seem to see her.

She's blind, Luna thought as the woman on the left turned. This one saw her.

"Are you ok?" The woman asked, her eyes deverted to Luna's hands, which where still bleeding.

"Um, I think I'll be ok. Thank you." Luna said, turning and walking away. Luna let out a sigh of relief when she went through the door at the other end of the hall.


	37. Chapter 37

The next room appeared to be a room made for children. There were games and toys of various shapes and sizes setting on the floor. There were five or six kids playing quitely. One of the children, a little boy who seemed about nine or ten, turned and looked at Luna.

"Hi." the little boy said, walking up to her.

"Hi."

"You're not Al Bhed, are you?"

"No, I'm not. Do you happen to know where we're going?"

"We're going to Home. Hae you ever been to Home?"

"No."

"Are you a summoner?"

"Yes."

"What do grown-ups mean when they sat summoners sacrifice themselves to no reason?"

"I don't know." Luna lied, starting to get mad. She knew it wasn't this child's fault, but she thought it was ridiculous that the Al Bhed thought it was pointless that she was going on a pilgrimage. That was no reason to kidnap her!

The boy had went to play with a girl about his age, so Luna decided to leave. When she got into the hall, Luna went in the direction she had been traveling, to her left. When she reached the door at the end of the hall, she stopped.

Luna looked behind her and listened for footsteps or voices. She didn't hear any, so she went through the door. She walked through the door only to come face to face with an Al Bhed about her age.

Both girls jumped as they almost ran into each other.

"Fydlr frana oui'na kueahk!" The girl said quickly.It took a few seconds for her to hear 'watch were you're going' since her heart was beating to loud for her to understand immeaditly.

"I'm sorry." Luna said quickly.

"Fryd?"

"Oh. Cunno." Luna said as she quickly went past the girl. The girl called something behind her, but Luna wasn't going to hang around and find out what it was.

If they are picking up random summoners, Luna thought as she slowed down, then there's no telling how many are on this ship. Luna's attention caught a door on her right and she walked up to it. She listened to see if there anyone on the other side of the door.

When she was sure there wasn't, she walked in. It defenitly wasn't a stiuation in which she wanted to walk in on. The room she stumbled upon seemed to be the control room of the airship. In the room stood about eight or ten men, the other five or six teenage boys.

Standing to the right side of the group was Braba. They all turned and looked at Luna as she walked in. Braba walked up and said,

"What are you doing? Who let you free?"

"What are you talking about? You know she's free to walk around the airship as she wants. We want her to feel comfortable. Besides, there's no reason for you to yell at her. She probably can't understand you."

"I can to! Don't say I can't understand unless you know." Luna said. All of them looked astonished "I'll just be on my way."

"Fine. I'll come find you later." Braba said, as Luna went out the door. Great, she thought, this is all I need.


	38. Chapter 38

Well, that was unexpected, Luna thought as she explored the airship. She went into room after room and bever really found anything interesting. How big a ship is this? Luna thought as she entered a room.

As she entered the room, she couldn't believe her eyes. In the room stood, and sat, summoners and their guardians. Could Derick be on board, Luna thought. Everyone stopped talking as she entered the room. After a few sceonds, the conversation started back up.

A summoner and his three guardians walked up. They all seemed to be in their eatly twenties.

"Hello. Are you a guardian?" The man on the far left asked.

"No. I'm a summoner."

"You seem aweful young to be a summoner." The guy on the left on the inside said. He must be the summoner, Luna thought.

"Are you a summoner?" Luna asked him.

"Yes, I am. My name is Kyle. And you are?"

"My name is Luna. So, the Al Bhed take both the summoner and their guardians?" Luna asked, hopeful.

"Only if the gaurdians follow, as mine did. This is Thomas," Kyle said, pointing to the guy on his left. "This is Bobby, and this is James. We've been friends all our lives, so I decided to make them my gaurdians. Where is your gaurdian?" Kyle asked.

"I'm not sure if he followed or not. In a way, I hope he didn't."

"And why is that?"

"He's much safer on the ground."

"Ah, I see.Well, what does he look like?" Kyle asked. Luna described Derick to him and then he contenplated on it.

"Oh! He left about thirty mintues ago, saying he was going to look for you. He said he would come back if he didn't find you." James said. James had light brown hair and with hazel eyes. He seemed to be one that would remember a face very easily.

"Thank you. I'll wait here for him." Luna said. He followed me. Had he followed me on my walk this morning? If so, why? Why didn't he just walk with me? Luna waited as long as she could and then decided to go look for him.

Luna looked in every room she came to and still wasn't finding him. She went to leave a room when she came face to face with Braba.

"There you are." Braba said, stepping toward her. For every step that Braba took forward, Luna took one back. "I was wondering where you had gone."

"Where's Derick? I know he's on this ship. What did you do with him?" Luna asked, still backing up. Suddenly, she hit the wall. Oh, no, Luna thought, remembering what had happened last time she was stuck between a wall and him.

"Don't worry. He's fine. It's you you should be worried about: Braba said as he closed the space between them. Luna coward a little, trying to make herself smaller.

"Leave me alone. You don't even know me."

"Sure I do. You're Lady Luna, sister of Lady Yuna and daughter of the late High Summoner Braska. You grew up on the isle of Kilika from the age of five, after your father brought the last calm. Your favorite fiend is a Corel and your favorite animal is a Chocobo."

How does he know so much about me? How long as he been following me, Luna thought as he kissed her.


	39. Chapter 39

Luna couldn't do anything because Braba had all his weight on her, making it impossible to move. Just as she thought she was going topass out from lack of oxygen, the door opened. Braba broke the kiss and turned around.

"You!" Braba cried, his rage almost deafening.

"Get away from her!" Derick screamed. Luna saw it as a chance and ran to Derick. Derick held her in one arm as he seemed to look for something to fight with. Luna looked around and saw a steel sword on the floor.

Luna knew that Derick knew how to use a sword, so she grabbed it. She handed Derick the sword and she prepared to fight.

"Fine. If that's the way you want it, I'll kill you and your guardian."

"What did he say?" Derick asked.

"That he's gonna kill both of us."

"Only in his dreams." Derick said, rasing the sword. Derick ran over and cut Braba's arm with the sword, which proved to be quite a bit more dull than Luna thought it was.

"You call this hurt? It's nothing but a scratch! Let me show you how a true man fights!" Braba said as he ran up and hit Derick with his fist. Derick countered by hitting Braba with the side of the sowrd. It seemed as if Derick wanted to just distract him.

"You want Luna? You'll have to kill me first." Derick said after Braba hit him and he fell to the floor.

"What did you say?" Braba asked.

"Oui'mm ryja du gemm res du ked do sa." Luna said.

"Gladly." Braba said, a strange smile comming to his lips. Luna shivered, knowing what was going through Braba's mind. Derick was standing by this time, his sword at the ready. Both Braba and Derick ran at each other at the same time.

Derick had his sword raised high to brign down on Braba. When Braba reached him, Derick stopped dead in his tracks. What's wrong? Why isn't he doing anything, Luna thought.

She looked at Braba, and saw a smile on his lips.


	40. Chapter 40

"Rest in peace. May the Farplain keep you safe." Braba said as Derick fell to the floor.

"NOOO!" Luna screamed, running to her fallen gaurdian. "Don't leave me, Derick. I need you. I love you." Luna said, crying. Derick opened his eyes and said,

"Luna, you know he's not going to let me leave this room alive." It broke Luna's heart when he said that, and it broke again when he coughed and she saw bright red blood trickle from his mouth.

"Summoner, leave him. He knows his death is coming. There is no reason to worry over him."

"Youstay out of this!" Luna said, finally looking at Derick's wound. It was in the upper left part of his stomach, just where it meets the chest. From the way he was breathing, Braba must have punctured his left lung. She looked at the weapon and saw that it was a small dagger.

"Luna, please, take it out of me. I don't want to die with a dagger in me."

"Please, Derick. You're in too much pain."

"Please, Luna. You can do it. I'm begging you. Please, Luna. Please." Derick said, coughing once again. Luna's heart broke for a third time as she pulled the dagger from Derick's stomach, and a fourth as Derick groaned from the pain.

Derick opened his eyes and Luna saw a look of love in them. She didn't know if she could take anymore heartbreak.

"Luna, I love you."


	41. Chapter 41

Then he was gone. Luna couldn't believe it. Derick was gone.

"Why?" Luna asked, the dagger still in her hand. She looked up at Braba and screamed, "You done this! It's all your fault!"

"What are you talking about?" Luna heard from the door. She looked up and saw Kyle standing there. Luna jumped to her feet, dropping the dagger in the process, and ran to Kyle. Kyle wrapped his arms around her and looked down at Derick.

"Oh, no. Someone help!" Kyle called out of the room. He pulled Luna behind him as Braba came up.

"She's mine!" Braba cried as he tried to push Kyle out of the way. No matter how hard Braba tried, he couldn't get Kyle to move an inch. Luna was amazed by Kyle's strength. She didn't think that he was that strong.

Just as Braba ran and grabbed the dagger, two Al Bhed men ran up.

"You're the summoner that can speak Al Bhed. Ehat's going on?"

"Braba killed my gaurdian." Luna said, crying at having to say that Derick was dead. The other Al Bhed man had went into the room and wrestled the dagger out of Braba's hands. Luna had gotten back into the room and was by Derick's side, even though it was only his body.

"Luna, there's nothing we can do. I will send him." Kyle said, coming up behind her.

"No," Luna said, almost to hysterics, "I want to do it. He was my gaurdian. Not only that, he was also my boyfriend and my best friend. It would have been the way that he would have wanted it."

"If that's what you want." Kyle said as he turned. "Come back to the room you met me in when you're ready."

"I will." Luna said, barely above a whisper. When everyone was gone, Braba in costody, Luan sat on her knees beside Derick's body.

"Derick," Luna started, "You done just as the preiest said. You protected me with your life. Now I'm going to send you. I promise to defeat Sin. Too many people have died because of it, and you would have wanted to keep going." By this time, Luna was ready to perform her first sending. As she danced, she cried. Just as the dance ended, Luna looked around her. The room was full of pyreflies. She had never sen so many in her life. She felt love as the pyreslies flew past her.

"I love you." Luna said as they disappeared.


	42. Chapter 42

Luna left the room and went to where Kyle said he would be. HE and his guardians looked up as she walked in. Kyle stood and walked over.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"No. I just lost the only thing I had left in my life. But I do believe that I will live, even though most of my life is gone now."

"I understand."

"I want off this airship."

"You can't leave without a gaurdian. Do you have any other gaurdians?"

"No. I had two. One died when Sin attacked Kilika, and now this." Luna explained, her head bowed.

"We've been talking," Kyle said as the other boys walked up, "and we decided one of my gaurdians would join you. All three voulentered, but we decided to let Bobby go with you. He'll take good care of you."

Bobby was about six foot tall with long red hair pulled back out of his face. He wasn't all that bad looking and muscular.

"Do you think that they'll let me off the ship, considering what happened?" Luna asked. Before Kyle could answer, an Al Bhed walked up and said,

"We are about to arrive. The captian would liek to speak with you."

"Oh, ok. I'll be right back. The captian wants to talk to me. Luna explained to Kyle.

"Would you like me to go with you?" Bobby asked.

"No. You'll just be lost. I don't think they want anything bad. I'll be back soon."

"Ok." Luna heard Bobby say as she left the room with the Al Bhed man. They walked down the hall and into the control room. After they entered and went to the front of the control room, where the airship was steared, the Al Bhed said,

"Here she is."

Summoner, I'm sorry for Braba's actions." the captian started. "He will be sent to prison as soon as we get to Home."

"Without a trial?"

"There is no need. He readily admitted that he killed your gaurdian. He also admitted to following you for years."

"Why?"

"Well, Braba ran off about three years ago, and then came back a year ago later, saying something about a summoner. Before we could get a council together to discuss anything, he was gone. He left a note saying he was going to make you his. Just recently, he had come back, saying that 'his summoner' had left on her pilgrimage. He followed and was going to bring her aboard when the time was right.

"Appearntly, he wanted more than to just save you. He wanted you to be his. He learned everything he could about you. I'm guessing he seen you one day and it was love at first site for him. He went as far as to talk to your uncle Cid."

"Uncle Cid?"

"Yes. Your mother's brother. When your mother and father married, Cid became distant, despite how close they were before then. She continued to write him letters so he knew of your mother becoming pregnant with you. He had never heard of your birth because your mother stopped writing when she was about four months along. It surprised your uncle that Braba knew this, and told him to leave. May I ask what happened to your mother?"

"She died a few days after I was born."

"Well, I'll be sure to inform him. Have you any more gaurdians?""Yes. I would like to make a request."

"What would that be?"

"I would like to go to the Macalania woods. Please allow me to continue my pilgrimage, in light of the recent events." Luna said, tears coming to her eyes just thinking about what had brought about this request.

"But we are here to save you, not-"

"Please? Do those at the place you are taking us know that I am on this ship?"

"No, they do not."

"Then how will they know if you have taken me back or not?"

"I don't know."

"I think I would do the same for you, should you have been in this type of situation." Luna said, her head held high.

"Fine. I will return you to the Macalania Woods. No one but oyu and your gaurdian goes. We will drop off the others, and you will remain here. Please go and inform your gaurdian. You and your guardian shall return here when we land."

"Thank you. Is there anything else that you want?"

"Yes. I would like to congradualte you on your sister's engagment."

"Thank you." Luna said. So the women from Gaudosalam weren't lying. Suddenly, Luna remembered the day at the Blitzball tournament. Was that who Seymour was looking at? I was that close and didn't even know it? How could I have missed her so easily?

"Sy'ys?" Luna heard, her thoughts interupted.

"Oac?" Luna asked, looking up.

"Please go get your gaurdian and report here. If you don't, they well get off with the others."

"Ok. I'll be back."


	43. Chapter 43

Luna couldn't help but think of Yuna as she walked back to get Bobby. She still couldn't believe that she had been that close to her. Luna was still pondering over it as she walked into the room. Bobby caught sight of her and walked over.

"Everything alright?"

"Yes. They want us to return to the control room."

"Ok. I'll be right back."

"Ok." Luna said as Bobby went back to the other three guys. They all patted him on the back and then he returned. As they walked to the control room, Luna said,

"I'm sorry I'm the reason that you had to leave your friends."

"No, It's fine. We had all come to the conclusion together." Bobby said as they reached the control room. They walked in and went to a corner, so as to not disturb anyone.

"How old are you, Luna?"

"I'm fifteen. How about you?"

"I turned twenty a couple of weeks ago. I bet your parents were upset when they learned you became a summoner."

"My mother died a couple of days after I was born and my father was also a summoner."

"Really? What was his name?" Just then, the airship jerked violently, sending Luna flying. Bobby reached out and grabbed her. She saw Bobby look at the corner they were near and then put her in it, her back to the wall. He quickly stood in front of her, making sure she didn't fall.

They were very close, and Luna looked down, afraid she was blushing. It wasn't that she liked him, she didn't. It was just the thought of being so close to a guy so soon after Derick's death. After the ship landed, Luna looked back up at Bobby. He was looking down at her, a look of determination on her face.

"There's no need to be embrassed. I promised the guys that I would protect you, and that's what I'm doing."

"It's not that."

"Oh?" Bobby said, straightening up.

"It's just- It's just the thought of having a guy so close so soon after Derick's death."

"He meant a lot to you, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"It'll be fine. He probably would have wanted you to go on. He probably would have wanted you to find a new guardian, too."

"I imagine so." Luna said as everyone but her, Bobby, the captian, and the person driving the airship un boarded. By this time, Luna and her new guardian were standing near the captian, waiting to leave again. The door opened and there stood Braba.


	44. Chapter 44

Luna sucked in her breath. How did he get out, Luna thought as their eyes met.

"You'll never defeat Sin! Your death will have been for nothing! Mark my words, summoner!" Braba yelled, running toward her. Luna thought Braba was going to tackle her, until Bobby stepped out in front of her. She probably would have been better off with just Braba tackling her. She never knew her lungs could deflate that much. But then again, she never had two guys fall on top of her, full force.

Bobby and Braba fought on top of her, and Luna could feel her lungs needing air. As they struggled, Luna tried to get out from under them, with no prevail. Luna looked around Bobby and saw that Braba had somehow gotten hold of another knife. Braba was trying to stab Bobby, who was holding Braba's wrists.

Bobby turned to the right, letting go of Braba, who fell on top of Luna. As he fell, the knife planted into Luna's right forearm.Luna screamed out in pain as the knife plunged into her arm. Braba pulled it out, which sent another wave of pain through Luna. Braba never seemed to notice that he had hurt Luna. He stood and walked over to Bobby.

"Now you die. No one can protect this summoner but me." Braba rasped as he walked.

"Braba." Luna said, talking around her pain. She had managed to sit up, holding her arm. Braba looked at her, seeming to just notice the hole he had created in her arm.

"Who hurt you? Was it him?" Braba asked, pointing at Bobby.

"You did, Braba. When Bobby moved, the knife came down on my arm." Luna said, still craddling her arm.

"You made me do this! You made me hurt my dear, sweet Luna!" Brba cried, turning back to Bobby.

"Huh?" Bobby asked, not understanding what was being said in Al Bhed. Suddenly, the two men that had taken Braba away the first time crashed into the room, causing everyone to turn. The one that had talked to Luna before went to hold Braba back from Bobby.

Bobby stodd in front of Braba with his head held high, his back straight, making him seem taller than he really was. It looked to Luna as if he didn't want to show any fear. As Braba was, once again, escourted out of the room, medical staff of the airship arrived to help Luna. They bandaged her arm and her hands, in which Luna had forgotten that she had hurt. Bobby walked over and watched them work. When they finished and left, Bobby helped Luna up.

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Sure. Nothing a little time won't fix."Luna said, her head down.


	45. Chapter 45

As the airship continued on its way, the captian was apoligizing for what had happened.

"I'm so sorry. If we had known that Braba had been this intend on getting you, I would have made sure that he never left Home. I know nothing can ever make up for your lost guardian, but you can call upon me for anythign that you may need."

"Thank you. I will greatly consider it." Luna said as the airship slowed.

"We cannot take you directly into the woods, but we can let you off at the entrance. If you should need anything, please, ask any Al Bhed. They shall be informed that you are trustworthy."

"Thank you." Luna said as she, Bobby, and the captian approched the entrance of the airship. After Luna and Bobby stepped off the airship, lighting struck and thunder rolled, causing Luna to jump.

"Are you afriad of lighting?"

"A little. I've lived in Kilika most of my life. Everyone knows that water and lighting don't mix." Luna said as she walked out of the rain, into the comfort of the Maclaina Woods.

"What do you mean by that?" Bobby asked.

"I was going to go swimming once while it was storming, and my dog followed. Well, he jumped in just as lighting struck the water. No need to say I didn't go swimming that day. That was only five years ago.I still shiver thinking that it could have been me in that water."

"Well, maybe he was trying to warn you."

"I think he was." By this time, they had come to a fork in the path. To get to where they were going, they had to go up the left path. As they traveled, Bobby told more of himself. He was orginally from Bevelle and really hadn't wanted to leave, but felt that he had to.

"What about you?" Bobby asked, looking at Luna.

"I'm orginally from Bevelle, but spent most of my life in Kilika."

"Why did you move?"

"My father died and I had nowhere else to go besides Kilika with my Nanny."

"You were an only child?" Bobby asked as they reached the inn next to the Macalina Lake.

"No. I have a sister. She and Measter Seymour are to marry."

"Yuna? I should have known. You two do look a lot alike."

"You've met my sister?"

"Yes. I thought you were her when I first met you, but then I sensed something different about you, so I never said anything." They each got a room and then sat to eat dinenr.

"Luna, why have you become a summoner?"

"That's a very interesting story." Luna said with a chuckle.

"Well, we have the time."

Luna discribed the dare and the consequences that came with it.

"So, you didn't want to become a summoner? Do you still regret it?"

"No. At first I didn't want to become a summoner, but now I'm more determined than ever to defeat Sin."

"Because of your gaurdian? You two were close, weren't you?" All Luna could do was nod, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry. I'm sorry, Luna. I shouldn't have mentioned him." Bobby said Luna could see him blushing through her tears. She smiled and said,

"It's ok. You didn't realize how close we were. We were together."

"Oh." Bobby said. One look at his face, and Luna knew what was going through his mind. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head.

"No, no, no. Nothing like that." Luna said, her turn to blush. Nothing like that had ever went through her mind the whole time they were together. then she realized how many times she could have gotten into that situation.

"Oh. I see. But you really did love him, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"He was lucky to have someone like you."

"Thank you. That was very kind of you, Bobby."

"No problem. Wait. You never got to tell me who your father was."

"Oh, his name was Braska." Luna said casually. She never really thought of it as a big thing that her father was a high summoner.

"High Summoner Braska?"

"Yes."

"He would be very proud of you." By this time, they had both gotten done eating.

"Well, what should we do? Do you think that it would be easier to go to the temple now or wait until in the morning?" Luna asked.

"It might be easier to do it tonight. I'll get our rooms reserved just in case someone needs them tonight, if this is going to be like when Kyle would pray to the Fayth." Bobby said.

"Ok." Luna said, standing up and walking outside. It was cold, considering this was a cold place. There was snow everywhere, and Luna thought it was beautiful. Bobby soon joined her and they were off.

As they walked out to the lake, which was frozen over, Luna noticed something wrong with it.

"There's a huge whole in the lake, Bobby!" Luna cried, starting to walk toward it.

"No! Don't get to close! You don't know who stable it is." Bobby warned.

"Oh, ok." Luna said, retreating from the hole. They walked around and then continued on their way. "I wonder how that happened?" Luna thought out loud as they walked.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure if I really want to know."

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

"Luna, you have Al Bhed in you, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you know the Al Bhed language so well?"

"Yes. My father was teaching me when he left for his pilgrimage."

"And you continued to study?"

"Yes. My nanny helped me after that. I remember we wold practice by talking in Al Bhed for days." Luna smiled at the memory of Betty.

"Was she an Al Bhed?"

"No. She was a live-in nanny, so she learned the language, just in case."

"Oh. Do you miss her?"

"Yes."

"Ah, here we are." Bobby said as the temple came into view. They walked in and down a flight of stairs. A path that was covered in snow curved here and there and finally stopped at a door. Luna walked in, Bobby right behind her. They walked farther into the room and a priest saw them.

"Hello. May I help you?"

"I'm here to pray to the Fayth." Luna said.

"Oh, ok. Go right ahead. And this is your gaurdian, I presume?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Bobby." he said as he shook the preist's hand.

"Gaurd her with your life. That's how a good gaurdian is." As soon as Luna heard it, she began to cry. She ran up the stairs and into the Cloister of Trials.


	46. Chapter 46

Luna couldn't believe that the priest had said that.That's exactlly what the priest in Besaid had said. Luna had stopped right inside the door. She lean up against the wall and slid to the floor. Luna let the tears flow, not wanting to stop them, ready to finally grieve for Derick as she should. Anything said about him, or anything that reminded her of him made her want to cry. She had tried her best not to cry all this time, but decided it was time to let it all out. Bobby came in a few minutes later and she looked up at him, the tears still flowing. All Bobby did was sit next to her. Luna finally stopped crying and looked to her right, where Bobby sat.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"That was a slap in the face." Luna commented between sniffles.

"How?"

"The priest in Besaid sat that to Derick, too. Not just somewhat close. those exact words. Talk about adding insult to injury. I wonder if Yevon is enjoying doing this to me?" Luna thought aloud, looking at the floor.

"Don't say that. It'll be ok." Bobby said as he hugged her.  
This surprised Luna so much that all she could do was sit there. After a couple of seconds, Bobby stood. Luna looked up and saw that Bobby had extended his hand so he could help her up. She took his hand and he helped her stand.

"Do you need some more time?" Bobby asked after Luna was on her feet.

"No. I'll be fine. Let's go." They walked down the hallway and out the door on the other side. On the other side of the door, was a path that led under the lake. Come to find out, there was just a huge sheet of ice that covered the top of the lake, and the water was at the very bottom of the lake.

The path led down and around the lower part of the temple. They entered the door at the end of the path and found an empty room. That was when Luna realized that the chamber of the Fayth was in the next room.

"Ok. I'll be back as soon as I can." Luna said, going up to the door. It slid open and the leaves parted as she walked in. She entered and walked to the case, knelt, prayed, then stood. She looked into the case and noticed that the Aeon was a woman. She was blue with extremly long hair, which was done in about six blue, thick braids.

Luna looked up and saw that the Aeon's spirit was looking down at her. She was very beautiful. She was tall and had a very kind and gentle look in her eyes.

"Why have you requested me?" The woman asked.

"I am asking for your assistance." Luna said.

"You have been through much. I can tell just by looking at you. You have lost someone?"

"Two people since I started my pilgrimage. I know know this is a long shot, but I want to be the first to get to Sin."

"You have determination. I like that. I shall help you. Please, call upon me when you need me." the woman said.

"What is your name?" Luna asked.

"Shiva." The woman said as she flew toward Luna. Luna just stood there and let her enter through her chest, and then fell on top of the case, out cold.


	47. Chapter 47

Luna awoke, sore as usual from falling. She got up and stumbled from the room out ot where Bobby was. Luna looked at Bobby and her vision got fuzzy. She blinked a couple of times and then began to fall. Bobby wasn't able to stop the fall, but he was able to soften it.

"Are you alright?"

"Um, yeah. I stumbled, that's all." Luna said, wanting to get going. She got back to her feet and started toward the door that led outside, even though she was still wobbly on her feet. She stumbled a little, and hoped that it wasn't enough for Bobby to notice. By the time they reached they hallway above, Luna was feeling better. They walked a few steps down the hallway when the three middle sections of the ice disappeared.

"I was wondering why it was so easy to get to the Chamber." Luna said as she sawa door open up on their left. They went into the door and down a ramp, which led to a room below. Luna and Bobby looked around, trying to figure out where to start. Luna noticed some ice on a slope on the left side of the room and more ice across from it on the right side. That was when she noticed the small pillar in the room.

"Look. Think that has something to do with the ice?" Luna asked, nodding toward the pillar.

"Maybe." Bobby replied. Luna and Bobby walked up to the pillar and Luna was going to push it when Bobby moved in and said,

"Let me do it. You need to save your energy, what little you have left."

"I'm fine. My energy level is right where it needs to be. Besides, I want to do it. I love working puzzles. That's all the Cloister of Trials is, a big puzzle." Luna said as she took her spot back from Bobby.

"Oh, ok." Bobby said, backing off. Luna knew she didn't have that much energy left, but she didn't want Bobby to know that. She wanted to get going as soon as possible. She grabbed the pillar and started to push it toward the chunk of ice on the right side of the room, which was in front of the pillar. Just as she had started to push it, it slipped out from under her hands and continued to slide until it hit the ice, where it stopped. Luna walked up the pillar, and then noticed that the other chunk of ice was right across from it on the other side of the room.

Luna walked around the pillar, making herself face the chunck of ice, and then pushed it again. It slid, hit the ice, and then kept going this time. As she watched it slide down a slope, which was hidden by the ice. Luna immeaditly became curious and went down the slope, wanting to know what was beneath her. When she reached the bottom of the slope, she saw that a thick piece of ice had stopped the pillar. Luna looked around the room as Bobby arrived. She didn't see him, but she felt his presence. Luna looked to her right and saw a pole coming down from the ceiling and remembered seeing one just like it in the Djose temple.

That gave her an idea. She quickly looked to the left and saw side of the room. There in the wall just on the left side of the of the doorway was a glyph sphere. That one won't work, Luna thought. She She spun around and ran straight into Bobby. If it wasn't for him catching her, she would have fallen on the floor.

"Getting a little excited?" Bobby asked as he picked her up.

"Naw. I just really like doing this." Luna said with a smile when she was back on her feet. "I gotta go back up there." Luna said, walking past Bobby and up the slope. When she got there, she looked around the room. There were two Macalania spheres. One right next to her, which seemed to support the slope that led to the room below, and one in the back of the room on the right.

Luna walked over to the far sphere and grabbed it. She went back to the room below, where she placed it in the pillar. Luna pushed the pillar and it slid under the pole coming from the ceiling and Luna watched the two things come together. She heard something happen above and then turned. She was going to go see what it was, but then caught sight of the glyph sphere in the wall on the left side of the doorway.

She looked a little past that and saw another place for a sphere on the same wall. Luna took the sphere and plaed it in the hole next to it. When she done so, the wasl right above it trembled and then moved up. Luna went back up to the upper room and saw that one of the ice pieces reapeared. Beneath the slope that led to the hallway above, she saw a sphere sitting int he wall that had moved up from the room below. Upon closer inspection, Luna noticed that it was a Macalania sphere. She grabbed it and put it in the pole closest to her. She looked up and saw that the ice piece had returned. That leaves the one on the right, Luna thought as she looked around. She saw the Macalania sphere by the slope that led to the lower room.

She walked over and thought, wonder what happens when I take this out. Luna pulled the sphere out of it's resting place as Bobby was about half way up the slope, and she heard him hit the floor. She looked down at him, her eyes wide.

"Are you alright? I didn't see you, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bobby said, getting up.

"Move out of the way and I'll fix it so you can come back up here." Bobby walked farther into the room and Luna placed the sphere back into the hole it was resting in. Bobby came up to the room, this time without accident.

"Now what do we do? We still have one more section, but the only sphere we have is this one and it needs to go down there." Luna said. Then it hit her. She went and grabbed the sphere that she had just put into place, and the ice piece above her disappeared again. She walked past Bobby and back down to the lower room. She walked to the pole of the right side of the room and placed the sphere in the hole of the pole. Luna walked back up to the upper room and saw that the ice piece closest to the exit had returned.

Luna went back to the upper room and took the sphere that supported the slope. She walked back over to the pole in the and placed the sphere in the correct place and the middle piece of ice appeared. Luna looked up and smiled. She was so tired. She didn't say anything because she didn't want Bobby to worry about her. She had been feeling light-headed for the past five minutes, and she was fighting to keep her eyes open.

She climbed the slope to the hallway above, Bobby right behind her. Luna stumbled a little and Bobby asked,

"Are you ok, Luna?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Luna tried to assure him. Each step was getting harder and harder to take. Juat as they reached the stairs to the outter room, Luna stumbled again. Before Bobby could get close enough to catch her, she was falling. At first it didn't seem real. That was until Luna heard a snap. She fell to the bottom of the stairs, and laid there. She wanted to get up, but she just felt so tired and weak. There was a dull pain in her right arm. It kind of felt as if someone was tugging on her arm, but not hard. Just hard enough to feel it. She had closed her eyes, and opened them when she felt someone touch her. She looked up to see Bobby knelt beside her, a worried look on his face.

"I'm so tired, but I know we should get going." Luna said, trying to get up.

"No. Don't get up. You need to save your strength."

"But-"

"Luna, just lay back down."

"Ok." Luna said softly as the darkness overtook her.


	48. Chapter 48

Luna awoke to a heavy feeling in her right arm, and it hurt a little. She looked to her left, and Bobby sat there in a chair. She looked at her right arm, and saw that it was in a cast. Some of what had happened come flooding back to her.

"You're really accident prone, you know that?" Bobby said with a smile, trying to make her smile.

"I know. At this rate, we'll never make it to Zanarkand in time."

"Naw. We'll make it."

"So, how bad is it?" Luna asked, holding the casted arm up.

"Um, there's two breaks. One here, and one here." Bobby said, touching the cast where the breaks were.

"I see. Let's go. We've wasted enough time." Luna said, getting up, and then almost falling. If it hadn't been for Bobby catching her, she would have been on the floor. "Good catch." Luna said as she regained her balance.

"Maybe you should sit back down?"

"Naw. I'm just a little off balance because I'm not use to this weight yet, that's all." Luna said, holding up her casted right arm and smiling.

"Ok. Well, you were out for a good day and a half. Let's get going. Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

Outside, the morning was very bright, probably around ten o'clock or so. As they walked, Luna thought about all the twists and turns her life had taken in the past couple of months, let alone the past two years. She never thought that she would lose Betty, her nanny, friend, and the person she considered a sister. Then there was always Derick, her first love. Could she ever find love again? Did she WANT to find love again?

"Luna?" Luna looked up at Bobby at the sound of his voice.

"Yes?"

"We need to go this way. You're going back to the Thunder Plains." Bobby said, who had made a left turn.

"Oh, yeah. Of course." Luna said, walking back over to him. "Where are we going now?"

"Bevelle. I can't wait. It's been a while since I've been home." Bobby said, his eyes lighting up with excitment. Bevelle, Luna thought. I haven't been there since I was five years old. At just about this time, they came to a couple of gaurds.

"Lady Yuna! What are you doing comeing back here!" One of the gaurds asked, holding his gun at the ready.

"I'm not Yuna. I'm her sister."

"Yeah, right. And my dog can talk." The gaurd on the left said.

"Why won;t you let us through? She said she's not Yuna, and she's not. You shouldn't accuse someone of being someone else!" Bobby said.

"Wait a second, there were more people with Yuna. Sorry for the confusion. You can go in."

"What has she done?" Luna asked, growing concerned for her sister.

"She's commited a crime."

"Like what?"

"She's killed Meastor Syemour, and she killed Grand Meastor Mika."

"No. She would never do that!" Luna cried, astonished at this news.

"Well, she did. If you support her, you are not welcome here."

"But I MUST go pray to the Fayth."

"Fine. Go." The guard on the right said, turning back to his guarding postion. The on the left followed suit.

"Thank you." Luna said as she and Bobby passed through. Yuna would never kill anyone, would she? Especially a Meastor of Yevon. She couldn't have changed THAT much in ten years. She's a summoner. She would have agree with the teachings, wouldn't she? Or did she decide to follow the Al Bhed ways? But then she wouldn't really be a summoner. I'm not going to say that she killed them. I don't think that she has. Her thoughts were stopped as they reached the Highbridge. She was amazed by everything that she seen. She jumped and looked at Bobby as she heard him laugh.

"What's so funny?" Luna asked as they walked up to a door.

"Your face. You look like a little kid on their birthday." Bobby said as they passed through the door. Luna must have had that amazed look on her face again becuase Bobby began to laugh again.

"When you haven't seen your hometown in ten years, things are going to amaze you." Luna said simply.

"I guess so. We were making our back from Besaid when the Al Bhed got us. So, hwta do you want to do first? We can go to my house and get something to eat. My mom's a really great cook."

"That sounds good." Luna said. She let Bobby lead the way to his house. The front door led to the living room. As they entered, Bobby called,

"Mom, I'm home!" A woman of a little over five foot rushed in. She had the same shade of hair as her son, and eyes the shade of Derick's.

"Bobby? Is that really you? Where are the other boys? They didn't... Did they?" she aske din rapid fire.

"Yes, mom. It's really me. the guys are fine. They were picked up by the Al Bhed."

"Oh. Who's this? Have you finally brought someone home to meet me?" Luna's eyes went wide when she realized that Bobby's mother thought that they were together. Luna began to shake her head no when Bobby said,

"No, mom. Luna is a summoner. Both of her gaurdians died and me and the guys decided that it would be best that I went with her. You know that the Summoners have to have guardians to protect them on their pilgrimage."

"Yeah, that's true. I was hoping htat you had finally found someone to settle down with."

"I will eventually, mom. Don't worry." Bobby said as they all sat down in the living room.

"You two look hungry. Want me to fix you something to eat?"

"Sure." Bobby said as she got up. Luna was taking in all the nick-nacks that were placed around th room. Most of them were figures of various fiends and animals. Some were of the High Sommoners that had defeated Sin. Luna got up to look at the Summoner figures. They were placed in order, from left to right, first to last. Luna came to the last Summoner, Braska, and stopped.

She looked at it and smiled. I hope I'm making you proud, dad. That's all I ever wanted to do. I just hope I can follow in your footsteps well enough. I never thought that I would have done this. I know that the way I became a Summoner isn't really anything to be proud of, but I do hope to make you proud now. I know that I haven't seen you in ten years, but I still love you with all my heart. I'll come visit you on the Far Plain soon, I promise.

"Luna." Luna jumped at the sound of her name. She turned to see Bobby standing behind her.

"Yes?"

"Mom made us some sandwiches. Come on."

"Oh, ok." Luna said, looking back at the figure of her father and then followed Bobby into the kitchen.

As they sat down, Bobby's mother said,

"Oh, my name is Margie. What's your's?"

"Luna."

"It's nice to meet you, Luna."

"Likewise." Luna said as she sat. As they ate, Margie talked.

"Enough about me. What about you, Luna? What made you become a summoner?"

"Well, my reasons for becoming a Summoner aren't so honorable." Luna said, her face turning red.

"Oh? How's that?"

"I went into the Cloister of Trials as a dare. Once in the Chamber of the Fayth, I was told that I was punished by having to become a Summoner." Luna explained.

"Oh. Do you regret that your life has turned out this way?"

"Oh, no. Now that I'm on my pilgrimage, I'm actually happy that my life had turned out this way. I'm willing to do anything for Spira. That and I'm doing this for my fallen gaurdians. Not to mention my father."

"Was your father a Crusader?"

"No. He was a Summoner."

"Oh?"

"You have a porcilen figure of him. I was admiring it."

"Lord Braska?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I thought you looked fimilar. So, you're Yuna's sister?"

"Yes, ma'am. She's two years older than me."

"You two must be very close."

"Yes, we were. After our father died, we were seperated and she went to live on Besaid and I lived on Killika."

"I see. I bet you miss her."

"I do."

"Well, you'll get to see her again."

"I know. And I actually hope it's soon." Luna said with a smile.


	49. Chapter 49

After the meal, Luna, Bobby, and Margie all went back into the living room. They all sat down and it was silent for a few moments.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Have you heard the news? A flying ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth and this may help defeat Sin."

"Who did you hear this from?" Bobby asked.

"They have a new priestess at the temple, Shelinda. She heard it directly from Lady Yuna."

"Really? then maybe she's finally found a way to truely defeat Sin." Luna said thoughtfully.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Bobby said.

"I guess so. I'm going to get started on those dishes." Margie said as she stood.

"Let me help." Luna said, standing and following her into the kitchen.

"You don't have to help."

"It's the least I can do in return for you feeding me." Luna said. After they had been washing fr a bit, Margie said,

"Please take care of my Bobby. He can get a bit of a wild streak at times, and then he usually gets himself into some kind of trouble."

"I'll look after him. Just as he's looking out for me." Luna said with a reassuring smile.

"Thank you. If anything happens to him, will you come tell me?"

"Yes." Luna said as she stacked the last dish.

"Oh. What happened to your arm?"

"When I was at the Macalania Temple, I fell down the stairs in the main room and broke my arm." Luna said.

"Oh. Well, just take care of yourself, ok?" Margie said as they walked back into the living room.

"That was quick." Bobby said, turning as they arrived back in the living room.

"There wasn't that many." Luna said as she sat.

"Would you like to rest for a little longer, or would you rather go to the temple?"

"Well, we could always come back here after we get done at the temple." Luna said.

"Ok. Mom, we'll be back, ok?"

"Ok. Jsut be careful." Margie said from the chair she had sat down in."

"We will." Bobby said as he headed toward the door. Luna took one last look at the figure of her father before she walked out the door, closing it behind her.


	50. Chapter 50

As Luna and Bobby walked toward the temple, Luna was lost in thought. Why had Margie told me that? Did she really think that something was going to happen to him, or was she just being a concerned mother? Could it be a little of both, by chance? Luna didn't know what to think. Just as Luna came back to reality, they reached the temple. Just as they were about to enter the temple, Luna was grabbed from behind. Before she had time to scream, a hand was placed over her mouth. Then she felt a blade placed against her throat. Bobby had turned to look at Luna's captor. This left his back open for attack.

Luna saw Braba pop up behind Bobby, and she tried to warn him, but the hand over her mouth was to tight to allow much sound around it. So tight, in fact, that it hurt. All Luna could do was watch as Braba jumped on Bobby from behind and made him fall to the ground. As they wrestled on the ground, Luna elbowed her captor in the stomach. She had her right arm, and pain vibrated from her elbow to her wrist.

Luna ignored the pain and turned around. The person who had grabbed her was Braba's friend from the ship leaving Besaid. He had a crazed look on his face. This scared Luna. She looked at him and he raised the knife in his hand, preparing to fight. Luna thought that someone would surely try to stop what was going on, but where they were, there were no people.

"Oui ymsucd kud so punudran gemmat! Ev ed faneh'd vun sa pnuykeht ris uid, ra fuimt ryja paan sahdahlat di taydr!"

"Putting him to death would have been a favor." Luna rasped, getting mad.

"Fryd?" Luna repeated the sentence in Al Bhed for him to understand.

"Fro yna oui cu sayh? Ra mujac oui. Fro tuh'd oui ihtancdyht dred? Ra'c ymnayto dumt sa dred ra fydkr sa gemm oui." Luna couldn't believe it. Braba was so obssesed that he would kill her. All she could do was stare for a moment.

"Why? Why me? There are plenty of other girls. Why did he choose me?" Luna asked in Al Bhed.

"Because Braba was looking for someone like he had never seen before. But that doesn't matter. All that matters is that he's happy. If killing you is what it's going to take, then so be it." There's no more time to waste. What am I going to do? At that moment, Luna heard Bobby scream. She didn't want to turn her back on Braba's brother, so she began to skirt around him so that his back eventually faced Bobby and Braba. When Luna looked, Luna saw Braba bringing out a knife with a round handle out of Bobby's left shoulder.

Acting quickly, Luna cast Thunder on Braba's brother, causing him to fall to the ground. He got up quickly and resumed his fighting stance. Luna cast Watera, hoping that the Al Bhed boy would stay down. Just as she started to move around him, he once again stood. She stopped and waited for him to get up. When he finally got completely to his feet he said,

"Don't ever mess with Marako. Now you die, weither Braba sees it or not." Marako ran toward Luna, the knife still in his hand. Before she could do anything, Marako had tackled her. She was sitting underneath him, him straddling her. Luna had just enough room to move down just as Marako brought his knife down, causing it to plunge all the way to the handle on her left shoulder. Luna screamed as the pain shot through her shoulder. This seemed to surprise Marako for a second, then he smiled.

"Dra cuiht uv ouin clnays ec mega sicel." They're both demonted, Luna thought. He has to be crazy to think that my screaming is like music. Luna screamed again when he pulled the knife from her shoulder. This time, Marako brought the knife down into Luna's right theigh. The blade was removed beofre Luna even had enough time to scream.

He's going to kill me slowly, Luna thought through the pain. Suddenly, she had an idea. She brought her right arm up and him Marako in the side of the head with her cast. He fell off her and onto the ground, dropping his knife. He recovered quickly and said

"Oui'mm byo vun dryd! Uoi'na hud fundro uv so pnudran'c muja!" as he went for the knife. Luna was faster. She grabbed the knife, pushed Marako to the ground, and then straddled him, just as he had done to her. It hurt to move, but she done it anyway.

"E hajan ycgat vun rec muja. Byo vun drec." Luna said as she brought the knife down. It went through his skin much easier than I thought it would, Luna thought as she let go of it, leaving it where she had plunged it into his chest.


	51. Chapter 51

Luna stood and looked down at Marako, who looked stuned. He coughed, which brought bright red blood to his lips. While she watched Marako, someone came up behind her and put their hands on her shoulders. She flinched and they said,

"Cunno. Huf, fedr dryd kyinteyh kuha, fa lyh meja dukadran eh rybbrhacc." Luna stiffened at the sound of Braba's voice. Like hell I'll in happiness with him, Luna thought. Then she realized that he had said, 'with your gaurdian gone'. Luna shot around Braba, and over to Bobby. She ignored the pain in her right leg as she rushed to her gaurdian. She looked down at him and saw that Bobby had slit his throat. She couldn't believe it. Another person dead because of her. She began to fall to the ground, crying, but Braba was there to catch her.

"Tuh'd lno, so muja. E ghuf drec ec y rybbo tyo, pid drana ec hu naycuh du lno."

"Draca yna hud daync uv rybbeh acc. Oui'mm hajan ryja sa yc ouin ufh. Hajan. E't nydran tea."

"Drah cu paed. Oui'na taydr ec ibuh oui." Luna jumped up as quickly as she could. Braba took a knife in either hand and started to come toward Luna, both hands raised above his head. Luna quickly cast Firaga on him, and then darted over to Marako's body. She removed the knife from his chest, then turned to look at Braba, who had recovered from the magic that had been cast upon him.

"DIE!" Braba screamed, running full force toward Luna. Luna just stood there for a coupld of seconds, suprised that Braba had spoken in english. Then she realized that he was coming after her. She quickly cast Thundera on him, which halted him. Now it was Luna's turn. She tackled him as hard as she could and they fell to the ground. Luna fell hard on her right side, which sent waves of pain through her. She looked down at Braba who said,

"Oui fuimth'd gemm sa. Oui tuh'd tyja dra raynd du tu ed. E ghuf oui tuh'd."

"Like hell I won't." Luna said as she brought the knife down. Braba caught it, which cut his hand, but he never seemed to notice. Luna blinked a few times, wanting to make sure she had seen what she thought she had seen. Brabba quickly pushed Luna, causing her to fall to the ground. He quickly got up and straddled her waist. Luna couldn't believe Braba's speed and strength.

Just as Luna was going to bring the knife up she still held in her hand, Braba pinned her wrists to the ground, above her head.

"Oui sekrd yc famm keja ib. Oui ghuf oui lyh'd gemm sa. Ev oui jymia ouin meva, oui, mm keja ib."

"I'll never give up!" Luna said, straining her voice as she struggled. She was struggling as hard as she could, but with no prevail. Luna couldn't believe this. This couldn't be the way she died. Luna continued to struggle as hard as she could. Luna had closed her eyes, she didn't know he had began to lean down to kiss her. She jerked her head and hit Braba in the nose, hard. He brought his hands up to his now bleeding nose and Luna saw it as a chance and brought the knife up as quickly as she could, not noticing where it was going. The blade plunged into Braba's shoulder.

Braba screamed and stood, allowing Luna enough time to stand and grab the knives he had dropped. Luna turned just in time to see Braba had pulled the knife from his shoulder and was coming after her with it. Just as Braba reached her, Luna ducked and struck out her left hand, plunging one of the knives into his stomach. Braba fell to the ground and rolled over on his back.

"Drea lyh'd pa dra fyo I uea. Ed lyh'd pa."

"Ed ea. Rest in peace. May the Far Plain keep you safe." Luna said, walking over to Braba, the knife in her hand rasied. She walked over, straddled hi waist, and then slit his throat, just as he had done to Bobby. Luna slowly stood and looked down at Braba, who made gurgling noises due to his trachea being cut and his lungs not getting any air. She watched him until the sounds stopped and his hand fell away from his throat. Luna took one last look at Bobby and then walked over to his body.

"I'm so sorry. I had never meant for this to happen. I hope you can forgive me, Bobby." Luna said as she began to dance. As she danced, pyreflies flew from the three bodies that lay around her. Just as the dance was over, someone ran up.

"Is everything ok? I saw the pyre-" The man said as he looked around. Luna fell to the ground, crying.


	52. Chapter 52

"I'm so sorry." Luna said, crying. Someone had went and gotten Bobby's mothe upon Luna's request. Luna was in the hospital, the man that had found her had taken her there. She had lost a lot of blood due to her injuries she had sustained.

"Is he still there?" She asked through her tears.

"No ma'am." Luna said through her own.

"Please, call me Margie. What happened to him? Where is his body?" Margie said, drying her tears for the moment.

"I sent him. As I did our attackers."

"Thank you for sending him. I knew something was going to happen."

"That's why told me to look after him. I didn't do that good of a job." Luna said, hanging her head.

"Well, he wasn't the only one that was attacked. Don't blame yourself. The question is WHY did they attack you?"

"They were after me. They were Al Bhed. Not only that, one of them was obssesed with me. He wanted me for his own. He had killed my last gaurdian, who was also my boyfriend. His name was Braba. I don't know why he was so fascinated with me, but he was." Luna explained to Margie.

"Oh. I see. Luna, stay with me until you're ready to continue on your pilgrimage. I want you to be safe. With your injuries, you wouldn't be able to defend yourself that well."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok. thank you."

"You're welcome."

A couple days later, Luna got out of the hospital and had settled in the guest room in Margie's house. Luna had been advised to rest for a couple more weeks, so Margie wouldn't let her do anything. Luna would walk around the house, cleaning when Margie would go out to visit. Luna had to have soemthing to do. Margie would leave at about two o' clock each after noon and Luna would take advantage of the three hours she had alone. She knew that Margie knew about her three hour cleanings each day, but she wasn't going to say anything if Margie wasn't. Margie finally let her do things almost a month after she had left the hospital. Luna was greatful for all she got to do now.

The day that Luna thought it would be a good idea to continue her pilgrimage, she went to Margie to tell her her plans. It was late afternoon and very nice outside when Luna went outside into Margie's flower gardern. Margie turned and seen her.

"Well, hey there. What brings you out to the flower garden?"

"Well, I've been giving it some thought, and-" Luna was cut short when she heard the Hymn of the Fayth. Margie's eyes grew wide as she looked into the sky. Margie began to sing and Luna joined.

Leyui  
Nobomenu  
Renmiri  
Yojuyogo  
Hasatekanae  
Kutamae

Luna felt as if all that had happened to her was nothing of what was about to come. Then, out of what seemed like nowhere, came a solitary word in her mind. Luca. Not just her, but Margie needed to go, too.

"Margie, we need to go."

"Where?"

"Luca."

"Why?"

"I just get this feeling that we do."

"Ok. I have nothing here for me, so, let's go."


	53. Chapter 53

"What about your things?"

"I'll send for them later. I wonder why you suddenly got that feeling?" Margie asked as they walk out of Bevelle.

"I don't know. I just feel as if we need to go there." Luna said above the den of singing. The song soothed Luna, it always had. Eventually she began to hum along. Just humming it seemed to elevate her mood. When they reached the Macalania Woods, the sound of the singing was muffled, but they could still hear it. They reached the three-way cross in the woods, and decided to stay there for the night.

They sat and talked some of the night. Margie went to sleep, and Luna was finding it hard to fall asleep. She kept wondering what made her think she needed to go to Luca. Could it be the Aeons? Do they know that something is going on there? The more she thought about it, the less she wanted to sleep. By the time she was even close to falling asleep, the sun was up. I'll just go to sleep early tonight, Luna thought as she got up. Margie was still sleeping, so she walked off a little ways and sat down so as to not bother her. A couple hours later, Margie woke up. As they started walking, Luna tried not to look sleepy. Her right arm itched so much. The cast had been changed due to damage during the battle with Marako and Braba.

"Don't scratch. It just means that the bone is healing." Margie said. Luna smiled and nodded, feeling miserable, but not wanting to say anything. They reached the entrance to the woods and Luna began to hear the thunder roll on the Plains.

"Oh, no." Luna said, stopping.

"What?" Margie asked, turning to her.

"I can't get this cast wet."

"Oh, that's right. Um," Margie said, looking around.

"What about this?" Luna said, plucking a leaf from a plant large enough to cover the cast. Luna wrapped the leaf around her cast and was able to tuck the sides into the openings of the cast.

"Talk about using your natural resources." Margie said.

"Yeah." Luna jumped at the sight of a stroke of lighting.

"You're afraid of lighting?" Luna nodded and told her of the fog she had five years ago.

"I'd be scared, too. I don't blame you." Margie said when Luna finished. As they continued walking, the rain began to wake Luna up. As they came to the inn, Margie said,

"We can rest for a bit."

"I'd rather get through here as quickly as possible. I'm not sure how much longer this leaf is going to last."

"Ok, let's go." Margie said, continuing to walk. Besides the lighting, thunder, and rain, Luna thought the Thunder Plains were nice. I wish those lighting rod towers worked, Luna thought. She and Margie had already dodged quite a few lighting bolts. They walked for a few more hours and Luna saw the entrance to Guadosalam.

"Oh! Look." Luna said, pointing it out to Margie.

"Thank Yevon. We're both soaked. How did you get through the first time?"

"I didn't. I was kidnapped in Guadosalam." Luna said as they walked out of the rain. As they went to leave, they passed the inn.

"Maybe we should stop. You look more tired than I feel." Margie said.

"Ok." Luna was tired. She was even finding it hard to keep her eyes open. She removed the leaf from her cast and realized there was some soft sopts on it. It'll dry, Luna thought as they paide for thier rooms. As soon as her head touched the pillow, Luna was asleep.


	54. Chapter 54

Luna woke up and went to see Margie sitting in the lobby of the inn. She looked at her and realized it had been quite some time since Margie had awoken.

"You're quite a sleeper. Didn't you sleep the night before last?"

"No." Luna said, shaking her head.

"Why not?"

"Don't know."

"Oh. I took a walk around and this morning. I really like it here. I think I'll stay here."

"Ok."

"Do you still want me to go with you to Luca?"

"Oh, no. It's fine. I know the way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok. Are you leaving now?"

"Yes."

"Ok. It was so nice meet and getting to know you, Luna. You come visit me, ok?" Margie said, hugging Luna.

"Sure." Luna said as she pulled away. Luna was a little frightened to go alone. She had never traveled it alone, but she knew she had to make it to Luca. She left Guadosalam and continued to the Moonflow. As she walked, she recalled her and Derick's walk along the path. She smiled at the memory of his deep blue eyes and the dimple on the left side of his mouth when he smiled.

"Ride the Shoopuff?" Luna heard as she heard a Hypello ask.

"Yes, please." Luna said as her heart stopped pounding.

"All aboards!" the Hypello cried. As Luna sat back, looking out at the water of the moonflow, a young woman with a baby sitting next to her caught her attention.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?" Luna asked, looking up at her.

"Would you hold my daughter while I fix her bottle?"

"Sure." Luna said as she took the baby. She opened her big emerald green eyes and looked up at Luna. "Her eyes..." Luna said softly.

"Yes. Her father was Al Bhed. He died in Operation Mi'ihen." The woman said, he voice catching.

"My mother was Al Bhed." Luna said, looking at the woman. The baby giggled and her mother said,

"Well, it looks like Miranda likes you. You really seem to know what you're doing. Do you have children?"

"Oh, no. I'm to young for children yet." Luna said, looking down at Miranda.

"Oh. How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"You look more around seventeen or eighteen. My name's Carrisa. What's yours?"

"Luna." Miranda looked at her mother and saw her bottle, which made her fussy.

"Would you like to feed her?"

"Really?"

"Sure." As Luna fed Miranda, she realized just how helpless a baby was. She also realized how preaious they were. Luna never really had that much experince with babies before, but she liked taking care of this defensless little girl. After the bottle was empty, Luna returned Miranda to her mother, who burped her.

"You done very well." Carrisa commented as he rocked the baby.

"Thank you. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. How old is she?"

"She'll be three months next week. She's grown so quickly. I bet you're going to make a great mother one day."

"Really? You think so?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't you?"

"Never really thought about it."

"You have plenty of time. Where are you heading?"

"To Luca. What about you?"

"I'm meeting my older sister at Djose Temple. Since Miranda's father died, we're going to go live with her until I'm back on my feet."

"That's really nice of her. I'll walk with you." Luna said as they unboarded the shoopuff. As they walked, Carrisa talked of Miranda's father. He had operated a huge gun that was used to attack Sin. The gun was destroyed, him still inside it.

"She'll never truely know her father, But she's gonna know about him. She's also going to know her Al Bhed family. I'll see to that. Carrsia vowed.

"Good. She should know about all of her bloodline. Both sides. I did."

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways, Luna. Maybe we'll see each other again one day."

"Maybe we will. Take good care of Miranda. I hope to see her again one day, too." Luna said with a smile.

"We'll see how things go." Carrisa said, starting to walk the path toward Djose Temple. Luna continued on her way, wondering if she would really make a good mother one day.


	55. Chapter 55

As Luna made her way down Mushroom Rock Road, she looked out at the sea. She wonder how Yuna felt, traveling this same road, knowing her fate. Was she scared, Luna thought as she gazed at the sky. Then her thoughts went to her father. How did he feel? Luna remembered learning of his two guardians, Sir Auron and Sir Jecht. Sir Auron had returned, but not Sir Jecht. Luna wondered if Sir Jecht was even still alive. Probably not, Luan thought. It was getting dark, and Luna decided to stop for the night. She had stopped on a side path so she wouldn't be in the way of other travelers. She put her back to the natural rock wall and closed her eyes. She shivered from the cool ocean breeze blowing around and eventually fell asleep.

She awoke the next morning to a couple of elderly men standing above her. At first she thought that she was hearing the ocean, but come to find out it was human whispers.

"Ec cra ymeja?"

"Buga ran eht caa."

"Oui buga ran."

"How about neither of you do and say you did?" Luan said, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, not even realizing she was speaking in Al Bhed.

"Couldn't you make it to the Highroad Inn?" The man on the right asked.

"No. It was getting dark and I was sleepy."

"This is no place for a young woman to sleep. Especially at night. Fiends walk around here more at night. Next time make sure you can make it to the inn before you set out." The man on the left said.

"I'll keep that in mind." Luna said as she stood.

"Where are you headed?" One of the men asked.

"Luca."

"No, you're not." The other said.

"What are you talking-" Luna stopped short when she the guns the men were carrying.

"You're coming with us."

"I don't understand."

"You're under arrest for the muder of Marako."

"What? He was going to kill me! That was self-defense! I can't believe this!" Luna said. Upon taking another look, the men weren't as old as she had thought. Not again, Luna thought as they walked. They arrived at the Highroad Inn and entered. They were sitting at the table in the lobby with Mr. Rin walked in.

"Mr. Rin!" Luna cried, standing up.

"Ced." One of the men said, grabbing her arm and roughly pulling her back down into the chair she was sitting in.

"Fryd yna oui tuehk? Mad ran ku!" Rin cried, coming to Luna's aide.

"Cra sintanat Marako! Oui ghuf ra fyo y rekn uvvelym!" Rin just stood there for a few seconds.

"Is this true?" Rin asked in English.

"It was kill or be killed. I swear I would never kill anyone unless I had to! I had no clue he was an offical!" Luna cried, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Look." Luna said, pulling her shirt down over her left shoulder, showing Rin the scar from where Marako had stabbed her. "I have another on my right leg. Do I seem like the type that would kill someone just to watch them die?"

"No, you do not. Wait. I was told that Al Bhed could trust you. Mad ran ku. Cra ec du pa dnicdat."

"Pid."

"E cyet, mad ran ku." At that, the Al Bhed men stood, practically dragging her to her feet.

"Come with me." Mr. Rin said in a gruff tone.

"Yes, sir." Luna said, following him. After they had gotten outside, Rin looked at Luna and asked,

"Was it really you that killed Mr. Marako?"

"Yes. But like I said, it was kill or be killed. He had broken an Al Bhed out of jail. Braba had killed my guardian. I had another guardian, and Braba killed him, too." Luna explained.

"Braba? That was Marako's yougner brother. Marako looked up to him and would have done anything for him."

"Well, he was going to kill me. I wasn't going to sit there and let him kill me."

"I do not blame you. Where are you heading? I thought you wre going to fight Sin."

"When the Hymn was played, something told me that I needed to go to Luca."

"I see. I shall walk you to the end of the Highroad so that you are not bothered."

"Oh, no. I couldn't possibly trouble you."

"No, I insist."

"Thank you. If you know what all I've been through in the past couple of months, you'd completely understand mygraditude."

"Well, anything to keep you comfortable. So, you think something is going to happen in Luca?"

"Maybe. I'm not completely sure."

"Well, there is only one way to find out." Rin said, looking ahead thoughtfully.


	56. Chapter 56

"Something's on your mind. What is it?" Luna asked.

"What caused Braba to come after you?"

"Braba was obessed with me. He was going to stop at nothing to get me. He kille done of my guardians when he captored us in Guadosalam and took us on the airship heading for Home. I was allowed to continue my pilgrimage in light of what had happened.

"I had met another summoner and his three guardians. They agreed that one of them would join me. We reached Bevelle and went to see his mother. We were on our way tot he temple when we were attacked. Marako attacked me and Braba attacked Bobby. By the time I killed Marako, Braba had killed Bobby.

"Braba thought I was his. I told him I would rather die, and he decided he wanted to kill me. I got him before he got me."

"You have been through much."

"I just hope my father wouldn't be disappointed in me."

"Lady Luna, I don't think he would be. I think he would be very proud of you for getting as far as you did. Never doubt yourself just because you didn't fight Sin. It took a lot of courage to do all that you have done. Never forget this." Rin said as they reached the end of the Highroad.

"Dryhg oui, Sn. Rin. E ybbnaleyda ymm oui'ja tuha vun sa." Luna said, smiling.

"Oui'na famlusa. You really do know Al Bhed very well, don't you?"

"Yes. I think I can make it on my own from here. Thank you again, Mr. Rin." Luna said as he walked away. Just as she was about to go down the stairs that led to Luca, Luna heard a Chocobo from behind her. She turned and walked over to it, wanting to pet it.

"She's beautiful."

"She is, isn't she?" The handler asked. "How could you tell it was a female?"

"Look at her feathers. They are a shade lighter than a male's."

"You're good. You a handler?"

"No. I really like chocobos, so I find out all I can. Are you sure she should be ridden?" Luna asled as the chocobo walked up to her.

"What? Yeah. Why?"

"Cause she's pregnant."

"How can you tell?"

"Watch." Luna said as she put a couple feet between herself and the chocobo. "Come here, girl." The chocobo came toward her and she said,

"See how she waddles a little?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah. But what does that prove?"

"Have that other female right there walk." Luna said, nodding in the direction of the chocobo. As it walked, the handler watched it closely.

"You're right. She's not waddling."

"She's not even mature yet."" Luna said, rubbing it's chest.

"What?"

"Come here and rub it's chest. Feel all those down feathers? About half of them will fall out by the time she matures." Luna explained.

"Wow. You should become a breeder."

"Really? You think so?"

"Yea. If you do become a breeder, I'll go to you."

"Ok." Luna gave both chocobos another pat before she went on her way.


	57. Chapter 57

Once in Luca, Luna went ot the cafe. As she sat in a booth, she realized it was the same booth she and Derick had sat in adter the Blitzball tournament. She remembered the conversation they had, though it was short. She also remembered that she thought that he was going to quit on her. After she ate, she paid the bill, then went walking around Luca. It was much bigger than she thought it was. She went to the Inn, got a room for the night, and went back outside. The sun was going down, and Luna went to one of the west docks to watch it set.

When she reached the dock, there was a girl of about 16 there, too. She had silver-colored short hair, which Luna thought looked nice. Her outfit was made of leather and red understraps. The shirt seemed to just be a piece of leather wrapped around her arms to cover herself, secure with a brooch on the left side. The gril raised her arms to strech and Luna saw that there was a cloth tube top underneath the leather. Red straps came across both shoulders, down her stomach, which was exposed, went down through her leather shorts, and seemed to hope up black leather stockings. Her leather boots came up about mid-calf. She had two black belts around her stomach, one on eather side of her bellybutton.

She wore black eldow-length gloves and a black choker. She had another necklace on a chain that allowed the pendent to reach the top of her shirt. She turned and looked at Luna with her hazel, almost red-tinted, eyes.

"Hi." Luna said.

"Hello." The girl said in her indifferent, soft voice.

"This is a nice place to watch the sun set."

"Yes it is. I come and watch when I can."

"This is my first time watching it set in Luca. My name is Luna."

"Paine. Nice to meet you."

"Same here." Luna said, looking out at the see, which was red from the reflection of the of the sun. Luna's mind wandered from watching the sun to Derick. She knew Derick wouldn't want her to grief for him, but she couldn't help it. She often awoke at night, crying. She had nightmares of him dying. Sometimes Braba was killing him, sometimes she herself was killing him.

Was he happy on the Far Plain? Luna could see him, Betty, and his mother walking around, chatting.

"Hey, are you alright?" Paine asked, pulling Luna back to the present.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Luna said, wiping her tears away.

"Are you sure? You just started to cry so suddenly. I thought something was wrong."

"No. Just memories." Luna said, smiling.

"Joyful or sorrowful?"

"A little of both." Luna looked around, noticing it was now completely dark. "How long has it been?"

"A couple of hours. I even left and ate. I came back to see you crying, and you never left that spot."

"Oh. Well, there's no point in staying here if the sun's gone down. I'm getting tired, anyway. It was nice meeting you." Luna said as they parted ways. Two hours, Luna thought as she walked. Let's hope I don't do that during something important, Luna thought as she reached the inn. She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.


	58. Chapter 58

It had been nearly a month since Luna had reached Luca, and the longer she was there, the more she wanted to leave. The only reason she didn't leave was because she still felt as if something was going to happen. She had gotten an appartment, and paid the rent by fighting fiends on the Highroad. This also served as her daily exercise. She would pick up the gil and items that the fiends would drop, and the Crusaders would pay her for her efforts.

Luna was just watching the sun sink behind the sea, as she did everyday now, when she heard,

"Sin's landed on the Bevelle Temple!" Luna got up and walked off the dock and went up near the front desk of the Blitzball staduim, where a group of people stood talking about what had happened.

"When did it happen?"

"Just a few days ago."

"How do you know?"

"My cousin lives there and she told me, didn't you, Brabra?" The guy said, pointing to his cousin, who stood beside him.

"It's true. Lady Yuna injured it and it landed. It damaged part of the town, but nothing that can't be repaired." The sound of Yuna's voice caught Luna's attention. Luna listened in, but stayed back some.

"Now what's going to happen?"

"I don't know."

"What about Lord Seymour? Isn't he going to help her?" One of the people asked.

"Haven't you heard? Supposedly, Lady Yuna killed him. Come to find out, that was a rumor spread by the Al Bhed."

"It probably was. Do you really think that she would kill her own husband?"

"No. But I know that Lord Seymour killed most of the Ronso. You know that the Guaod and the Ronso are never going to trust each other again."

"Yeah, that's true. What do you think's..." Luna didn't care about what else was said. She walked back to the dock and sat. Could Yuna really have killed Seymour? Or was their marriage just a rumor, too? Luna watched the sun until the darkness overtook it. Then she stood up ad walked back to her appartment, wondering what was to come.


	59. Chapter 59

A few days later, Luna was doing as she usually done at that time, sat at the dock, looking at the water. It calmed her to look out at the ocean. The more that Luna thought about it, the more she realized that Sin ws about to be defeated.She couldn't believe that it was her sister that was going to do it, either. The sister she hadn't seen in ten years.

Luna was just thinking about if she would ever see Yuna again, there was a huge yellow sheet of pyreflies the flew above Luca. Luna gasped at the sudden burst of light and the breeze that followed it. Luna heard some screams of surprise from the people that passed the dock entrance. Luan stood quickly and looked into the sky. She never anything, but she was sure it was Sin. She knew that Yuna had defeated it. Luna continued to look at the sky, hoping to see something. After about ten minutes, Luna started to walk off the dock when she suddenly felt a little empty. Little by little, the emptiness grew.

She didn't know what it was, but she felt felt as if she were alone. The it hit her. The Aeons. She couldn't feel the presence of the Aeons. Could it be that Yuna had truely defeated Sin? It has to be, Luna thought as she went back to her apartment. She got into bed, wanting to get away from the empty feeling inside her.

Luna awoke later that night, soemthing was going on outside her apartment. She stepped out to come face to face with a whole group of people, all chattering excitedly.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I'm trying to sleep." Luna said as she stepped out the door.

"Bethany hasn't come out of her apartment for a day or so, and we could have sworn we heard her scream, but we can't be sure." The person stadning right next to the door said to her. Bethany was a young woman that was very kind and gentle hearted.

"Well, go in and check on her."

"She cares deeply about her privacy. You can't just go barging in on her."

"Wait. Isn't she pregnant?"

"Yes." A woman said, turning to Luna.

"Well, I'm going in." Luna walked up to the door and knocked. "Bethany?" When she didn't get an answer, Luna said, "I'm coming in, Bethany. No one come in." Luna said as she tried the knob. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. Luna walked in, listening for signs of Bethany somewhere iside the apartment.

Luna came to to a door, which she opened, It was the bathroom, and it was empty. She passed the other doors to the end of the hall, which opened to the living room. This room was also empty. She opened the door across from the kitchen, but it was just a closet. Luna remembered that Bethany had moved into the aparment soon after she had, She had never seen anyone but Bethany enter or leave the apartment, but began to wonder if everything was alright. Luna came to the last door and thought.

If she's not in here, then we're going to have to form a search party. Luna opened the door, expected the worst, but not this. Bethany was lying in her bed, her baby on her stomach, the umbilical cord still attached. Bethany looked as if she had just giving birth and looked up at Luna with a smile.

"It's a girl." Suddenly, Bethany let out a scream.

"What's wrong, Bethany?"

"There's another one. Please, help me dilever this baby."

"But I don't know how to-" Luna was cut off by another scream.


	60. Chapter 60

"Go lock the door. Then go into the closet and across from the kitchen and get some towels." Bethany said through gritted teeth.

"But-" Luna was cut off by a scream. Luna felt like panicing, but she knew she couldn't, not now.

"This baby isn't going to wait, Luna." Bethany said through clenched teeth.

"Ok. Just hold steady for a bit. I'll be right back." Luna went and got some towels and locked the door on her way back to the bedroom. I can't believe I'm doing this, Luna thought as she walked back into the room.

"There's a book on childbirth over there on the table. Grab it and open it to chapter twelve."

"Alright." Luna grabbed the book and opened it to the chapter she was told and began to read. "I'm going to need some shoestrings, Bethany."

"Out in the closet, there's some old shoes. Use the strings from those."

"Ok." Luna went out to the closet and grabbed the shoes, taking the strings from them, and then putting them in her pocket. Then she went to the kitchen and got some warm water. Just as she got back to the room, Bethany let out a choked scream.

"It's ok, Bethany. You can do this." Luna said as she knelt at the foot of the bed. Luna tied one of the shoestrings around the umbilical cord of the baby girl setting on Bethany's stomach. Luna took the baby and cleaned her witht he warm water and then wraped her in a towel and set her next to her mother. Luna left the room to get fresh water for the baby on the way. Luna came back into the room and knelt back in front of the bed. Bethany began to push and Luna soon saw the head.

"You're doing great, Bethany. I see the head. Keep it up." Luan coached, even though she had no clue what she was doing. Luna followed as the book explained, hold the head as the baby came.

"You're almost done Bethany. The head's out." Luna said as she gently held the head. She was surprised how fast the rest of the baby was born. After the shoulders emerged, the rest of the baby came out very quickly. Luna grabbed the baby as it started to cry and cleaned it. She then wraped it in a towel and then gave it to it's mother.

"It's a boy." Luna said as she tied the second shoestring around the umbilical cord.

"Thank you, Luna. I'm sorry I put you through all this trouble." Bethany said weakly.

"It's ok. You need to rest. I think I'll go get a doctor now." Luna said, getting up.

"Ok. Will you ocme back in with him?" Bethany asked, looking up at Luna with her large hazel eyes.

"Sure. Let me go get a doctor, ok?"

"Ok." Bethany said, looking down at her children. Luna went into the bathroom and cleaned up, it finally hitting her that she had helped deliver a baby. She walked out of the apartment and was bombarded by a million questions.

"Is she alove?"

"Is she alright?"

"She didn't get mad at you, did she?"

"No, she didn't get mad at me. Yes, she is still alive and she is alright. She will need a doctor, though."

"How can she be alright if she needs a dotor?" Mummers of agreement followed.

"She gave birth to a pair of twins. They seemed healthy, but it's going ot take a doctor to confirm that, though." Luna said.

"It took you and hour and a half to convince her that she needed a doctor?"

"No. I had to help deliever one. Someone just go get a doctor."

About half an hour later, Bethany was resting comfotably, her children in bassinets next to her bed. Luna still couldn't believe she had helped deliever the little boy that was sleeping soundly next to his mother.

"Thank you so much, Luna. I don't think I would have been able to deliver this baby on my own." Bethany said, looking at her son.

"Anything to help. Why didn't you scream for help?"

"I guess I'm ashamed of the reason these two beautiful children were concieved."

"Oh?"

"I never told anyone, but I think I can now. Do you mind being the shoulder I lean on?"

"No, not at all." Luna said, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Well, my last boyfriend drunk a lot, and he thought he had to take his problems out on me. One night he came home and started hitting me, like he always did. One thing led to another and he suddenly starting apologizing to me. He was kissing me and telling me he would never hit me again, under one condtion. He wanted me to sleep with him. We had only been together for about two months and he knew that I wanted to wait until I was married. I said no, and he kept trying to convince me it was the right thing to do. Eventually he just wrestled me to the floor and took me. That was my first time, and now I'm a mother." By now, Bethany was crying.

"Oh, Bethany. It'll be alright. At least they're healthy. That's all that should matter right now. What's happened in your past should stay there. You should stay strong for them." Luna said, looking toward the sleeping infants, trying to imagine how horrible an experince Bethany had been through.


	61. Chapter 61

It was a couple of days later, and Luna was visiting Bethany and the kids. Bethany had been having trouble finding names and Luna was trying to come up with some names to suggest. Luna was itting with the children in the living room Bethany was in the kitchen getting them some sweet tea.

Bethany came back in witht he tea, handed Luna hers, and sat. they sat for a few minutes, each in their own thoughts then Luna said,

"They both have a good set of lungs. They even woke me up. It's good to hear that they're doing well."

"Yeah. They let me know when they need me. You think they're loud from you apartment, try being in the same room. It's well worth it, though." Bethany said, smiling as she brought her glass up to her lips.

"I'm good with just hearing them from across the hall." Luna said, taking a drink herself.

"I've come up with names."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm going to call the little girl Luna. After you."

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to. Besides, I think it's a pretty name."

"Really? What about the boy?"

"The name Derick has really been standing out in my mind. I don't know why, but it has."

"Derick?" Luna asked, finding it hard to swallow.

"Yeah. Is there something wrong?"

"One of my guardians was named Derick. Not only that, he was my best frined, and then later on became my boyfriend."

"Oh. Wait. Gaurdian? You were a summoner?"

"Yes. I quit my pilgrimage because I felt I had to come to Luca. I felt there was soemtihng going to happen here."

"Well, looks like it has. Probably not what you thought, but it has." Bethany said. It had only been a couple of days, but they were becoming closer and closer in friendship everyday.

Yeah, I guess so." Luna agreed.

"Well, how long were you two together? What happened to him?"

"We were together for two months before he was killed."

"I'm sorry. That must have been aweful. Do you know how he was killed?"

"Yes. He was killed right before my eyes. He was stabbed in the heart. He was the first person I had ever sent."

"Really? That must have been hard on you."

"I think it was."

"How long has it been since then?"

"About six months."

"Oh, wow. You still miss him, don't you?"

"You could say that." Luna said as someone knocked on the door. Little Derick began to cry just as the knock was heard. "You tend to Derick, and I'll get the door." Luna said as she stood.

"Ok." Luna opened to the door and Wendy, the young widow down the hall, was standing there.

"Hello, Wendy. How are you?"

"Pretty good. I've come to inform you and Bethany that Lady Yuna has come to Luca and she's going to be speaking at the Blitzball staduim shortly.

"Really? Thank you, Wendy." Luna said as the woman turned and walked off. Luna shu the door and then walked back to the living room, where Bethany was holding Derick. She looked up and asked,

"Who was it?"

"Wendy from down the hall. She said that Yuna's going to be speaking at the Blitzball staduim in a bit."

"Luna, you know she's supposed to be addressed as Lady Yuna." Bethany reprimanded.

"Why should I?"

"Because it shows respect."

"But she's my sister. Come one. I'll take Derick and you can take little Luna." Luna said, getting excited. Maybe now I can finally talk to her again, Luna thought.

"She's your sister? Are you serious? You're High Summoner Braska's daughter?" Bethany aske d in amazment.

"Yeah. Let's go see her. I can't wait."

"Ok. Let me go get into something a little more public friendly." Bethany said, getting up. Luan couldn't believe it. After ten years, she was going to see her sister again.


	62. Chapter 62

Luna and Bethany walked to the Blitzball staduim and found seats. As soon as Luna seen Yuna walk out onto the Measter's Box, where Measter Seymour had been when he had called Anima, Luna stood.

"Where are you going?" Bethany asked.

"I'm going up there to talk to Yuna. You can come, too. If you want."

"Ok." Luna and Bethany made their way to the Measter's Box They arrived and began to climb the stairs. Just as she got to the top, Luna was stopped by a woman that put her arm out as a blockade. The woman wore a black dress that fell down over her shoulders and was lined on the top with fur. Right below the fur lining, on the arms, there were belts that criss-crossed, seeming to keep the sleeves on the dress tight enough to stay up. The sleeves flared and came down over her hands. Luna also noticed that as she looked down that dress that it was open in the front and was decorated with belts. All kinds of them. All criss-crossed and they looked almost tangled in each other, but in a good way. The dress fell all the way to her feet, the back trailing a little behind her.

Luna looked up and noticed that the woman wore three necklaces, a purple one that dipped low, a red one that came about two inches above the purple, and a white one that came about an inch above the red one. The woman's hair was done in a tight bun about halfway up on her head, and four long, slinder braids falling from it. The braids were held closed by three beads at the end of each one. Decorative sticks was placed into the bun to look nice. Her bangs hung down on her face, most of them brushed on the left side, coming down over her left eye. Her eyes were hazel in color, and such a shade that one would think they were red. She wore red errings that looked good with her hair.

"You can't enter." The woman whispered. Luna just looked past the woman and at her sister. She couldn't believe that Yuna was standing right there in front of her. She wore a shirt that looked just like hers, and a skirt the same style, the only difference was that Yuna's skirt was bule, while Luna's was green. The stars and other decorations on the front match perfectly. the only major difference between their outfits was that Yuna wore a yellow piece of cloth across her stomach, which came and made a bow in the back.

"And though the hope and dreams may be gone, never forget them." Yuna said in almost a whisper. Surely, with all the cheering that was going on, no one but them in the Measter's Box could hear her.

The woman dropped her arm and Luna was going to take a step when the woman shot her arm up in front of her again. Luna looked at her older sister and said,

"Yuna." Yuna turned and a look of total surprise crossed her face.

"Luna?" The woman that held her back finally turned to look at her and she sucked in her breath, dropping her arm. Luna walked up to her sister, Bethany right behind her.

"Luna, is that really you?"

"Yes. We promised each other we would see each other again, and here we are. And it alos looks like you followed in daddy's footsteps." Luna said, smiling.

"Yunie, do you know this girl?" An Al Bhed girl asked. She looked to be about Luna's age and full of spunk. Little Derick began to fuss in Luna's arms, wanting his mother.

"Here, Bethany, trade me."

"Yes, Rikku, I do know this girl. This is my sister, and also your cousin, Luna." Yuna explained as Luna took little Luna in her arms and gave Derick to his mother. As they walked, Luna and Yuna tried to catch up on as much as they could. Yuna seemed sad to hear that Betty had been killed by Sin.

"Wait, I was the one to perform the sending in Kilika!" Yuna exclaimed.

"What! I could have seen you before I even left Kilika? You were on the ship from Kilika to Luca, weren't you?"

"Yes." For the first time, Luna looked at the rest of the people with Yuna.

"Kimahri!" Luna exclaimed when she saw the Ronso.

"Kimahri not see Luna in ten years, and Kimahri not forget Luna."

"I never forgot you either, Kimahri. Wakka? Captian of the Aourchs?"

"Former. I retired to become Yuna's full-time guardian, ya?" Wakka said in his Besaid accent.

"That was your last tournament?"

"Yes."

"Hey! Don't forget me!" The Al Bhed girl cried.

"Don't worry, we won't." Yuna said with a laugh. "Luna, this is our cousin Rikku. Uncle Cid's daughter."

"Really?" Luna asked, looking at her new-found family. "Ruf yna oui? Ed'c hela du saad cusa vysemo uh sus'c ceta."

"E's knayd."

"I see you kept studying." Yuna said.

"Yep. Me and Betty would talk in Al Bhed for days. And who's this?" Luna asked, looking at the woman who had stopped her.

"This is Lulu. She became like an older sister to me, while Wakka became like my older brother." Yuna explained.

"Nice to meet you, Lulu." Luna said.

"Same here. Had I known you were Yuna's sister, I would have let you and your friend pass."

"Oh! This is Bethany."

"Luna, are these babies yours?" Yuna asked.

"Oh, no. These are Bethany's kids. They were born not even a week ago. It's ok, Luna, don't cry." Luna said, rocking the baby a little when she began to become a little fuss. By this time, the group had come to an airship in one of the docks.

"What are you planing on doing now, Yuna?" Luna asked as Yuna's friends began to bored the airship.

"I'm going back to Besaid. What about you?"

"I'm going to stick around here for a while, but I'm to travel around Spria. I was in a hurry last time."

"I bet. Promise to come visit me on Besaid?" Yuna called as the airship began to lift off.

"Promise!" Luna called back. "And that's one promise I intend to keep." Luna said as the airship left the dock.


End file.
